Promises
by Muse of Fanfiction
Summary: Artemis never thought that she would fall in love with anyone. But when Orion comes along, she wonders if she would be willing to forget her eternal promise and make him a part of her life forever. Unfortunately, Apollo isn't too happy about it.
1. Prologue

**_The Tale_**

The great Phoebe Artemis of the Hunt, the Wild and the Moon was well-known throughout the universe as one of the three virgin goddesses of the Olympic pantheon. She was very protective of her virginity and swore to always remain chaste. It was a promise she made to herself and a promise she was determined to keep.

However, that did not stop her from falling in love.

The cause of her foreign affections was a handsome and jolly hunter that went by the name of Orion. He was the only one to have captured her heart, and she was the only one to have captured his. As a result, they promised themselves to each other.

But most unfortunately, it was a love that ended before it could truly begin.

This is the tragic tale of the doom of Artemis' first love, all at the hands of her younger twin brother, Apollo.

This is a tale of promises broken and promises kept.

* * *

Author's Note:

To all those who have guessed correctly in my last fanfic (**In Remembrance**); yes, this would be an Artemis fanfic about her relationship with Orion. This is only the prologue. First chapter will come out tomorrow.

It's my first time trying to write a romance tragedy (my Hades and Persephone ones don't really count as tragedy) so I hope that I'll be good at it. Leave me some reviews on what you think of each chapter, alright?

Anyway, one important thing to tell you all about. Most of you know me as the writer that updates her stories everyday. Unfortunately, I won't be able to update this fanfic everyday. But fortunately, I would be able to update it very frequently, let's say maybe about once or twice a week. I might even set up an official 'update day'. What do you guys think?

Stay tuned for the first chapter!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	2. Chapter 1

**_A Forgotten Promise_**

I left my room with my almighty silver bow in my hand and my quiver of powerful silver arrows slung on my shoulder. After I willed the golden doors of my room to shut on its own, I walked over to the set of doors in front of mine. The set of doors that had the name of my twin brother engraved on it.

I knocked with one hand, and the sound of my knocking echoed throughout the hallway. "Apollo!" I called out for my brother. "Are you ready?"

I stopped my knocking and waited for the doors to open. But about ten seconds passed and there was no answer.

I knocked on the doors again, this time harder than my first. "Apollo! Open up!" I called out louder, wondering why he did not answer for the first time.

The doors opened this time, but I noticed how hasty and quickly it did so. It opened only far enough to produce a sizeable gap in the middle, just enough space for Apollo's entire stature to poke through.

"Artemis, what happened? Is everything alright?" he asked in a rush.

I did not answer his question. Instead, I raised a brow at the state of dress I noticed he was in. His chiton was crinkled and untidily worn and his golden hair was really tousled messily. I studied his face and saw how flushed and worn out he looked.

"Apollo, are you alr-"

Before I could finish my sentence, a pair of arms appeared from behind my brother. The arms then wrapped themselves around his torso just as a head appeared on his shoulder. A head of one of the palace nymph servants.

And at the very instant, I immediately figured out what had caused my brother to look the way he was. Something to do with that nymph and no clothes. Something that I did not practise, since I was a sworn maiden and thus have no intention to do so.

With shut eyes and a drunken smile on her lips, the nymph murmured in a slur, "Oh, great Apollo. Indeed that was a most pleasurable experience. Especially when you-"

The blue-haired nymph did not finish what she was about to say (though I was _really _glad that she didn't) when her eyes opened to see me standing there. In a flash and with a look of panic spreading across her face, she took her arms and head off my brother's body and bowed down deeply to me.

"Lady Artemis," she greeted in a scared and nervous voice.

I looked away from her to Apollo, whose sky blue eyes were looking down in shame. I too noticed that his cheeks were red with embarrassment. The red deepened when I cocked my already-raised eyebrow higher and pursed my lips into a thin line.

I looked back at the nymph and said in a monotone, yet slightly disapproving, voice, "Return to your duties. I'm sure you have some to catch up with, seeing that you spent the last few moments fooling around with my brother."

The nymph's entire face turned a bright crimson red at my comment, ultimately matching the colour of Apollo's red cheeks. She did not look at me as she bowed down once more before scurrying away and out of my sight.

When she was gone, I looked back at Apollo, who was still looking down at the floor.

In a nervous voice, he whispered, "Artemis, I-"

"Just don't," I sighed irately, cutting him off. I really did not want to hear of this. I didn't even want to think of this. Apollo knew how much I was not fond of discussing the topic of his constant philandering, regardless of whether it was already a usual subject or not.

I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose as I let out a longer and deeper sigh. When I felt the tiny bit of irritation in me disappear, I asked, "So are you ready to go or not?"

I could hear the clear confusion in his voice when he asked, "Go where?"

My eyes flew open and my fingers left my nose as I stared at him in disbelief. I seriously wanted to think that he was joking. He had to be joking. Unfortunately, the genuinely confused look on his face said otherwise.

That did no good except in helping my annoyance rise up a few notches and in building anger.

I roughly gestured to the bow in my hand and said exasperatedly, "Hello? You, me, hunting? Remember? You promised that you'll go with me to the island of Crete today."

Apollo's eyes widened greatly upon realization, and he smacked his palm to his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh Gods, I completely forgot!"

I was completely speechless for the first few seconds but then I exasperatedly shouted, "APOLLO!"

He winced at my outburst and then started to ramble on about performing a task for Zeus, having sparring practice with Ares and taking an Oceanid on an outing. But I did not pay attention. I only blinked my eyes as feelings of hurt, betrayal and anger completely took over me.

How could Apollo do this? It was so…. TYPICAL OF HIM!

This wasn't the first time Apollo forgot about something he had promised to me. He always had some excuse for forgetting. When I heard him speak of taking an Oceanid to an outing, my anger flared up instantaneously. I just absolutely couldn't believe that he would forget about me and instead will fool around with another pretty girl.

Just because I'm his sister, doesn't mean that he could just forget about me for another girl!

I have never once forgotten or broken a promise I made to him, my younger twin. I always stuck to these promises and delivered them. Unfortunately, he couldn't do the same, and it was so unfair.

Suddenly, he grabbed both my hands in his and pleaded, "Let me make it up to you. We can go star-gazing tonight in the forests, or we can go the beach of Delos tomorrow. Anything you want."

What I want was to go hunting in Crete now. And what I want was for him to accompany me as I did. He was my closest friend, and probably my only male companion for hunting. Sure, I had my nymphs, but I sometimes want to interact with friendly males during my hunt, and Apollo fitted the bill.

I could feel my ichor boiling slowly in anger, but it subsided when I saw how pleading Apollo's bright blue eyes looked. I sighed in frustration and annoyance towards myself. I knew very well that I could never stay angry at Apollo for so long, no matter how much I wanted to. It was just impossible. Besides, his mistakes weren't really intentional. It just… happens. Even if I didn't want it to.

Exhaling the last of my ill-feeling out through my mouth, I mumbled, "It's alright. I'll go myself."

Guilt took over his facial expressions immediately. "Artemis, please. I honestly do feel guilty of myself right now," he pleaded in a soft voice.

I forced myself to smile, but my heart absolutely wasn't in it. In the most calmest of voices I could manage, I answered, "Really, Apollo, it's alright. I don't mind. Just please, promise not to forget again?"

In reply, he kissed my forehead and said graciously, "Thank you, sister. I owe you one."

_No, you don't. _I thought to myself. _You owe me a lot._

I stepped away from him and waved my hand in goodbye before leaving. As I walked briskly through the palace to the courtyard, I talked to myself.

"It's alright, Artemis. He did not really mean it. He would never intentionally forget you for another girl. It's alright. Calm yourself…"

"Who are you talking to?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned in the direction of the voice. To my left, standing in the middle of the corridor, was Hermes and Dionysus. Hermes was floating in the air, as usual, thanks to his winged sandals, while Dionysus was sipping on a chalice of what could be mead, judging by the strong and sweet scent of honey that emanated from it.

I shook my head and answered, "No one. I was just trying to calm myself down."

Swirling the mead in his chalice with a gentle flick of his wrist, Dionysus then asked, "Still angry about Apollo?"

My eyes widened and shot to them immediately. "How did you know?" I asked in confusion.

Dionysus gestured to Hermes and replied, "Gossip flies fast with him around."

I looked over to Hermes, who immediately looked down to the floor guiltily. I wanted to be angry then and tell him off for being such a busybody and a nosy gossip. But instead, I exhaled the breath that I did not realize I had been holding in and just walked away.

"Artemis," I heard the Messenger God's voice say beside me as he floated at my side. "I just want you to know how truly sorry I am. Apollo had told me about his outing with the Oceanid, but I didn't know that he promised to go hunting with you as well. If I did, I would have reminded him of it."

Despite the mild irritation I felt for Hermes at first, I smiled at his thoughtfulness. He was a good best friend of mine, and probably the next god I was really close to after my twin.

"It's alright," I sighed. "You were not to blame at all. It's really Apollo's own fault."

Dionysus then exclaimed, "You know, you should give him some sort of payback."

I looked at Dionysus, who was walking beside me on my other side, in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" I questioned him cautiously.

Licking away mead from his lips, Dionysus answered, "He forgets you for some girl. Why not you forget him for a man?"

What?! That was absolutely the most stupid thing I have ever heard! For a split second, I wondered if that was Dionysus' drunken mouth speaking, or if he was honestly being serious about it.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Hermes agreed with a thoughtful look.

Oh, great.

"Rubbish," I snorted dismissively. "Come on, you two. I would never stoop to so low a level just to get back at my brother. That's so stupid. Besides, need I remind you that I am a sworn maiden? People might get the wrong idea."

We finally reached the tall and might golden main doors of the palace and I quickly opened them with more force than intended. Stepping outside into the bright day, I said, "I know you two are trying to…. help…. but I assure you that I'm perfectly fine. I'll deal with Apollo later on."

Hermes looked at me with furrowed eyebrows and said uncertainly, "Alright. But if there's anything you want to talk about, you know you can come to the both of us."

I looked back at them with a smile. "Thanks, you two. That's really sweet."

Hermes bowed his head once before walking back into the palace with Dionysus. As the golden doors closed, I proceeded to walk into the stables nearby and lead my winged steeds to my moonstone chariot. But as I secured my silver reins, my mind went back to what Dionysus had said.

_He forgets you for some girl. Why not you forget him for some man?_

Of course I found that idea stupid. But yet, I also couldn't help but think that it sounded like a perfect payback. I knew very well how Apollo craved for attention, most especially mine. But then, he mostly didn't repay the favour, and that was what made me so angry in the first place.

Which man could I spend time with (_on friendly terms, of course!_) to attempt to make Apollo feel bad about himself? Maybe not Hermes, because he was kind of close to him. Dionysus was kind of a _no_, because spending time with him meant having to deal with him in his constant drunk state. I don't think being a companion of the brute and arrogant Ares was a good idea at all.

And suddenly, I shook my head irately. What in Tartarus was I thinking?! I can't believe that I even considered such a plan! I did not need petty revenge! And I most especially did not need a male to get it!

Feeling completely irritated with myself right now, I hopped onto my chariot quickly and commanded my winged steeds to ride off to Crete. As I rode in the air, I tried to erase all lingering thoughts of revenge from my mind.

* * *

The island of Crete was pretty quiet today. Just perfect for hunting.

As I walked amongst the tall trees in the forest, perfectly camouflaged by the evergreens and the shade, I kept a sharp lookout for any possible game that might come my way. In my hands was my almighty silver bow with a powerful silver arrow held in place, the fingers of my right hand grasping the nock of the arrow and the strong and durable bow string.

Suddenly, I could hear the closing hoof steps of a mighty buck. I pulled the bow string back fully before letting it go and letting the arrow fly in the direction of my incoming prey.

Unfortunately, my arrow just missed the huge buck with dark brown pelt. I grunted in quick frustration before my feet took off running after the animal.

I swiftly dodged hanging branches that hung on the level of my face and huge rocks that sat in the way of my path. My dark blackish-brown hair, which was tied into a loose braid, bounced against the top half of my back with each rigorous step I took.

Finally, thanks to my godly speed, I had managed to catch up with the running buck after just a few minutes of running. I could notice immediately that it was wearing out, but was still trying its best to get me off its tail. Unfortunately for it, that was never going to happen.

As I continued my fast pace, I got out another arrow from my quiver and readied it onto my bow. Pulling back the bowstring once again, I shut one eye as the other focused itself on the buck, marking a target.

But suddenly, just as I was about to release the bowstring and send the arrow flying, a figure appeared seemingly out of nowhere and immediately tackled the buck to the ground. I stopped running in an instant as I stared at the scene before me in a mixture of surprise and shock.

The mysterious stranger wrestled with the buck, struggling to pin it down to the ground. Whereas the animal was thrashing around violently and struggling to get out of the stranger's seemingly strong grip.

With one hand planted on the neck of the buck, the stranger reached to the side of his pants and produced a hunting dagger. He pressed the blade of the dagger onto the side of the buck's neck and quickly slashed at the skin, deep enough to draw blood.

The struggles of the buck died down slowly, until it finally stopped. And so did its breathing.

While I had some attentions on the dead buck, majority of it went to the mysterious hunter who appeared out of nowhere and caught my game.

Suddenly, he lifted his head to look up at me.

* * *

Author's Note:

So what do you think of the first chapter? I'm quite evil with the cliffhangers, huh? ;)

Anyway, I've decided to have two update days a week - **Monday** and **Friday**. What say all of you? Are you alright with the arrangement? I think it's okay enough. It would give me enough time to write future chapters in advance.

So please do leave your comments. I absolutely love reading from you guys. But if you don't, it's alright. I just hope you enjoyed the chapter!

See you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	3. Chapter 2

**_The 'Giant' Hunter named Orion_**

He looked very human, but I could sense an aura of divinity radiating from him.

The stranger rose to his full height, putting his dagger back into the scabbard hanging from his belt at the same time. I never took my eyes off him and studied him closely.

The first features I noticed about him were his deep teal eyes and his short and messy bronze-coloured hair. Then my eyes studied his chiselled face, taking in his well-defined features such as his high and sharp cheekbones, his slender nose and his thin and masculine lips.

I had to admit that he was very handsome.

I looked at his figure and I have to say it fitted perfectly with his face. He was tall and leanly muscular, with broad shoulders and strong arms. He wore a simple sleeveless brown tunic, black pants and a pair of brown hunting boots. A length of leather acted as his belt.

I noticed that at the side of his pants, hanging next to the scabbard of his hunting dagger, was a club made of stone and wood. I gripped my bow slightly tighter instinctively, alerting myself that this hunter was armed and who knew what he could try to do to me.

When my eyes travelled upwards to meet his greenish ones, he suddenly took a deep bow while I stayed in my upright position. He was still bowing when he said, "Greetings, great goddess Artemis - Lady of the Hunt, Mistress of the Wild and Maiden of the Moon. I am honored to be in your presence."

He stood upright once again while I remained in my still position. Our eyes stayed locked on each other, his dark teal meeting my midnight blue.

Well, it was a good thing he knew exactly who I was. No need for any introduction from me. But I did not know him. As I kept my guard on, I asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

The stranger cleared his throat before he answered, "My name is Orion, and I am a son of the ocean god, Poseidon, and the mortal princess, Euryale."

So this stranger was an offspring of Poseidon. That would explain the green tint in his eyes and the divine aura radiating from him. But there was something else about his name that seemed to ring a bell in my mind. I had a sure feeling that I've heard of that name before.

And then it clicked.

"I heard of you," I said slowly. "You are a lover of Eos."

I never did like Eos the Titaness of Dawn with the rosy fingers, golden arms and white-feathered wings. She was, in my opinion, one of the vainest and snobbiest deities I personally knew. She was just as proud as Hera's sacred bird, the peacock. And another reason why I wasn't overly fond of her was because of her uncontrollable lust for handsome men. Being a virgin goddess, I would naturally disapprove of such acts and get completely sick of hearing Eos boast about her many different lovers.

And it was during a celebration on Mount Olympus where she boasted of a new lover of hers; a giant named Orion. She spoke of how handsome he was and how he was such a good and skilled hunter. Not wanting my annoyance to get to me at that time, I snorted silently and just walked away from the conversation.

I wasn't impressed by her description of this lover of hers. First of all, I know that no matter how skilled he, or anyone, was in hunting, no one could ever top me, or they would face the consequences if they dare tried to challenge me. Secondly, I detest giants very much, thanks to an experience I had with _one _a few years back. And thirdly, no matter how handsome a man is, I knew that I would never seek interest in one.

But now that I was face-to-face with this giant hunter himself, I can see that she wasn't lying about him being handsome.

The hunter, Orion, pursed his lips and shook his head. "Not anymore," he muttered.

Not anymore? I wonder what had happened to make this man walk away from the great and glorious Eos. And I especially wonder how Eos was taking it right now. But I pushed that thought aside. That was not something important to think about right now.

"I thought you were supposed to be a giant?" I asked him incredulously.

Giants (most of them usually being an offspring of Poseidon) were normally about forty to sixty feet tall, and some were famous for becoming enemies of the pantheon. Two in particular had been enemies of mine. But Orion looked absolutely nothing like a giant. He most certainly was not forty to sixty feet high. He was just a few inches taller than me, my forehead probably reaching his nose.

He seemed to blush at my question, and he answered almost shyly, "I take my growth after my mother. I grow as fast as a mortal."

Ah, so that explained it.

I did not ask him anymore questions and a silence hung between us for a while. We held our gazes on each other for a few seconds before I moved my eyes away to look around my surroundings. Orion seemed to be waiting for me to speak again.

I landed my sights on the dead buck at his feet. Gesturing towards the body with a tip of my chin, I claimed, "That was supposed to be my game."

Orion looked at the buck at his feet and then back to me. "My apologies," he said. "I really didn't know that you too were after it. I would have let you have the kill if I did."

I didn't say anything in response. Instead, I simply walked towards the buck and kneeled beside it, ignoring his presence for a while. I placed my bow on the ground right next to me, making sure that it was close enough to grab in case of a surprise attack. With my hands free, I hovered both of them above the dead creature and summoned all my power into it.

Slowly, the buck's body became wrapped completely in white linen cloth. It was a habit of mine to wrap the bodies of my game, so that it didn't dirty my chariot when I brought them back to Mount Olympus to be cooked. When that was done, I summoned even more of my power and the cloth-wrapped body suddenly disappeared into thin air.

"Woah," I heard my only spectator breathe in a mixture of surprise and awe. "Where did it go?"

Picking up my bow and rising to my full height, I replied, "I transported it to my chariot, so that I don't have to come back for it when I return to Mount Olympus." Then, after adjusting the strap of my quiver on my shoulder, I said, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be off."

I had only just run a few steps east when I heard Orion suddenly call out, "Wait! Allow me to follow you!"

I stopped in my tracks to turn back and look at him with a raised eyebrow. I was confused by what he had said. Allow him to follow me? What did he mean by that?

When he stopped a few feet away from me, he suddenly kneeled with one knee on the ground. After taking a deep breath, he said seriously, "I wish to join you, Lady Artemis. I wish to join your service and become one of your hunters."

Both my eyebrows furrowed when he told me of his request and my confusion turned into disbelief. What? He wants to be one of my hunters? I barely even knew him for five minutes and he was already asking me for something of the utmost importance.

Still eyeing him sceptically, I proclaimed, "The chance of being one of my hunters is not simply given as easily as it was asked." Orion nodded his head to show that he understood that part, and I continued on. "There are several expectations that I have for those who wish to be part of my retinue."

I silently breathed in air and walked closer to him. Orion stood up almost instantly, causing me to halt my steps. Luckily, I didn't make my movements look too defensive. While he stood still, I circled around him like a predator circling its prey, examining whether or not it would make a good meal. Instead, I was trying to determine if his body fitted one of a good huntsman. It did, in actuality.

"First of all," I said as I looked at his legs. "They must be capable of running long distances with speed and agility and without tiring too easily. I don't really favour hunters whose legs weaken after just a few minutes."

"I think I am capable of that," he answered confidently with a smirk. "I have been able to best other men in speed. And it would take me hours before my legs wear out."

I pursed my lips at his jolly response. I couldn't help but think of how vain and proud he sounded, but I pushed that thought aside. When I stood in front of him again, I said, "They must be able to use a weapon. Preferably a weapon of their choice, be it that they are skilled at it." With a tilt of my head, I gestured to the club that was hanging from his belt and said, "I assume that is your favoured weapon?"

Orion looked down at the club before looking back up and nodding to me. "It is," he said, before adding, "And yes, I am very skilled at wielding it."

I nodded my head in understanding and thought of more of my considerations for hunters. It didn't take me long to remember the one condition that was deemed to me as the most important one.

"Of course, if you do know, most of my hunters are expected to be virgins and they most swear an oath of chastity to me," I said bleakly.

The very minute I ended my sentence, his expression took a downturn. His small smile disappeared, his eyes looked at me as though he was ashamed of something and his broad shoulders slumped.

That was supposed to be the end point for him. Of course, thanks to Eos, I was very well aware of the fact that he wasn't a virgin. Who knows? He might have lost it to some other before Eos. He could even have been with plenty before her. Furthermore, I wasn't too determined of the fact that he would consider swearing an oath of chastity to me. I mean, he was a male after all, and the son of one of the most philandering gods.

I was going to tell Orion that because he couldn't meet that requirement, then his chance of being my hunter was gone. And then I could properly be on my way and continue hunting. But I stopped short by the sight of how genuinely disappointed he looked. I wasn't exactly sure if it was a ploy or not, but I immediately felt pity for him nonetheless.

Ugh! What is this? Why was I feeling sorry for a 'giant' hunter who I met just a few minutes ago? I should just deny his allowance there and then, but something inside me was barraging me to maybe reconsider.

I exhaled in mild irritation and asked, "Tell me, Orion. Do you really do wish to become a hunter of mine?"

He was quick to reply, "I really do. Right now, I have no use of my hunting skills except for my own personal gain. I wish to give you my service with my capabilities. I too wish to expand my knowledge of hunting under your guidance."

"And how am I supposed to know whether or not you're speaking the truth?" I questioned him as I crossed my arms, bow still gripped in one hand.

Looking up to meet my gaze, he asked, "You do not trust my intentions?"

I arched an eyebrow and told him straightforwardly, "Trust doesn't come to those who only met just five minutes ago, Orion. Trust especially didn't come to me when you suddenly asked to join me as a hunter. If I wish to trust you, it would take a lot of time."

A look of thoughtfulness came over his expression and his eyes looked down at his feet as he considered the words he would say next. I inwardly huffed in mild annoyance, but I kept my facade blank.

"I know very well to not lie to you, because I know very well that you would be able to see through my deceit easily," he suddenly exclaimed knowingly. After a deep breath, he added "And if it takes time for you to acknowledge my goodwill to be at your service, then so be it."

The depth of his words made the silence that followed afterwards feel heavy and awkward for me. I know he wasn't going to let this go so easily but I tried to stay still and keep the words from pouring out of my mouth. Unfortunately, resistance was futile.

In a sigh, I muttered, "Maybe I'll make an exception for you."

One part of me protested that because he wasn't a virgin and he was a total stranger, I shouldn't give him the chance. But the other part of me tried to reason with good excuses like how I may actually have good use of his skills and how I might be able to make good of my time by mentoring him.

Orion's eyes widened slightly and his jolly smile returned to his lips. I silently snorted to myself about how fast his emotions had changed from negative to positive. Glad to know that his persistence had paid off, he took a deep bow and exclaimed, loud and proud, "I thank you a thousand times, great Lady Artemis. You truly do not know how thankful I am for this chance to serve you."

As he was not looking, I rolled my eyes to both at how excessive his words of thanks were and also to how I had impossibly been so soft to give him the chance.

_First you let Apollo off for forgetting his promise to you. Now you let a giant that you don't even know to join you in your hunt. Good thinking, Artemis. NOT._

When Orion finally straightened up once again, he saw me walking away to the east. I didn't hear him follow me, so I stopped to look behind at him. He was still standing there, looking at me confusingly with an eyebrow raised.

I raised an eyebrow back and asked, "Well? Are you coming or not?"

Both his eyebrows lifted up then and his eyes widened once again as his mouth gapped open just a little bit. "Now?" he asked in astonishment. "I can start my service to you now? Right this very minute?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Just because I allowed you to be an exception, doesn't mean I'll let you have easy access. Right now is only your trial run. Of course, I want to see how well you perform."

"Now?" he asked again in the same astonished tone.

I nodded my head and simply replied, "If not now, then when?"

He remained astonished for a few more seconds and I remained still, waiting for him to get out of his stupor and finally join me. That is, if he wanted to. But sure enough, a small appeared on his lips once again and he followed me.

While he walked a few inches behind me, I was internally trying to convince myself that maybe this decision wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Author's Note:

Nothing important here, but I thought I would share with you something interesting.

Just yesterday night, I was out shopping in the city by myself and I went to the underground subway station to catch a train home. As I walked, a poster caught my eye, and I could not believe this.

It was a poster regarding the creation of two new tunnel boring machines that was to be used to create new underground subway tunnels. There had been a competition for primary schools (or elementary schools) to give names for these two new machines.

One school won the competition, giving the names **ATHENA** and **ARTEMIS**.

A lot of people had been staring at me funnily, probably wondering why the hell is some random teenage girl just staring at an irrelevant poster with her mouth hanging slightly open.

I don't know whether to be proud or to be gobsmacked...

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Just Not Her Day**_

Orion proved himself to be a good hunter.

All throughout the afternoon, the both of us hunted in the forests of Crete. Many wild animals came across our path, including wild boar, bucks, stags and some small rabbits. We hunted individually, Orion being mindful of giving me my space and to which I was thankful for.

Several times he initiated conversation between us. It would either be questions or statements or just for the sake of having some words exchanged. However, since I wasn't really one for having long chats during hunting, I would just give short and simple responses. It might have bothered him a bit, not being used to silent people, but he would just have to deal with it if he wants to be under my guidance.

He would watch intently and silently as I worked with my bow and arrows. His teal eyes would be on my fingers holding the nock of the pure silver arrow to the bowstring. And when I let go of the bowstring, his eyes watched my arrow whiz through the air before the sharp points impaled into my unfortunate prey.

True to my word, I did teach him some lessons. Like how I taught him that with pure concentration, a strong and steady grip and pin-point accuracy, I was able to shoot the arrow right at the nerve points of my prey, causing it instant death. I also pointed out to him where the tender parts of an animal that could easily be cut are. As I taught him, he listened carefully and even asked questions like a real student.

All the while, I too observed him as he attacked his game with just one blow of his mighty club or a quick slash of his dagger. He knew exactly where the vital points of any animal were, partly like how I taught him, so he knew where exactly to hit it where it really kills. Though I did find his ways a tiny bit brutal, what with the clubbing and all, I couldn't help but be impressed by how swift and strong he was.

Perhaps he wouldn't really be that bad as a student. However, I still didn't trust him fully yet.

We took several short breaks between hunting before it finally came the time where evening was to approach and I had to get back to Mount Olympus soon to drop off all the game I caught to the kitchens of the palace. Orion followed beside me to the beach, where I had left my chariot and my horses. Both of us were mindful of keeping a distance from each other.

"That was such an experience," he said in his jolly tone and with his jolly smile. "It's not every day that anyone could have a chance to hunt with the Goddess of the Hunt herself. And to think that I'll be part of your retinue one day."

"Don't be too confident about that," I interjected quickly, though not harshly. "I still need to observe you more before I make a final decision."

I could hear Orion let out a faint sigh at knowing that I wasn't going to give him what he wanted so easily. But the sigh suddenly turned into a gasp when he saw my moonstone chariot and the white winged steeds with moonstone armour resting in the shade under some trees nearby.

"Gods above…" he said breathlessly in awe as he followed me towards my steeds. The creatures stood at the sight of me and immediately trotted in my direction. I met them halfway, where they began to nuzzle their noses into my hair. It was their favourite show of affection for me.

I stroked each of their manes affectionately in return, cooing to them as I did. They neighed back in response. But then, one of them suddenly noticed that I had a guest, who was still staring at the feathered wings on the horses' back, and she turned her entire attentions on him. Curiously, she trotted cautiously to him and Orion stayed still as she started to sniff his hair.

I watched the female examine Orion as I continued to stroke the mane of her brother. And then, I was slightly taken aback when I witnessed her starting to nuzzle his hair. My hand stopped stroking the male's mane, and I was even more shocked when I felt the steed leave my side to trot over to Orion.

Orion started laughing when the horse came to join his sister in her show of affection. Slowly, he started to carefully run his fingers through their white manes and gently caressed their muzzles, still marvelling at the sight of the enchanting creatures. The horses neighed in appreciation that he was reciprocating.

"They like you," I pointed out as I came closer to them. I stood beside the female horse and lightly grasped her mane as she continued to dishevel Orion's bronze hair with her muzzle. In between laughter and smiles, he replied, "And I like them as well. They are such gentle and affectionate creatures."

Stroking the cheek of the horse and gazing into its round eyes, I said thoughtfully, "It's strange. Usually, they don't welcome strangers into their good graces in an instant. Huh. You must be an exception to them, I suppose."

I looked over to Orion as he chuckled, "It seems that I am becoming an exception to both you and your winged steeds, my lady. Maybe this is a sign that, if your creatures can accept me, then so can you."

His words made me snort dismissively and I immediately clucked my tongue at my horses, a gesture that it was time to go. On command, they both (reluctantly, I noticed) turned away from the hunter and followed me to the moonstone chariot. I grabbed the silver reins and secured them on both the bridle on the horses' heads and the chariot. When everything was secured properly, I went to the back and got on my chariot. There, several cloth-wrapped animal bodies lay at the base.

As I grabbed hold of the reins, Orion came to the side of the chariot. He took a few seconds to feel and admire the moonstone before trailing his eyes up to meet mine.

"When can we continue my teachings?" he asked me.

"Whenever I feel the time is suitable," I decided without much of a thought. To be honest, I partially didn't really think that I would fancy seeing him again until a further time.

He furrowed his eyebrows at my answer. "But when would that be?" he questioned.

I sighed irately, "You do not trust my promise to take you under my guidance?"

"You yourself have said that trust does not come to those who just met," he said immediately.

His answer made me slightly taken aback by how he was able to retaliate my words so easily. He must have seen it in my eyes my shock, for he started to look worried that he might have said the wrong words. But he relaxed only slightly when he saw the corner of my lips lifting up into a smirk.

"Well said, Orion," I said in mild amusement before turning away to look ahead. "But seeing that I am a goddess who sticks to her promises, you may expect me to return to guide you sometime soon."

Without further words, I commanded my steeds to move. I did not look back at Orion as my horses galloped and their wings took flight, lifting my chariot into the air. But I could feel his stare boring into my back.

* * *

Apollo was nearly done bringing the sun down by the time I had started to bring the moon to rise.

My eyes watched my enchanting silvery-white celestial body and the night sky that followed in its wake. It followed my moonstone chariot obediently until it finally came to a stop at the highest centre of the sky. The sky too was now entirely a deep midnight blue and decorated with twinkling bright stars.

I instructed my steeds to return to the palace and we came back in just a few seconds back. After untying the silver reins and bringing my horses back to their stalls in the stables, I made my way to the dome-shaped dining hall just outside the palace, right on time for dinner.

Making my way inside, I saw that nearly everyone was seated. I made my way to my favourite seat; the one beside Apollo. But he didn't notice me as I pulled out the chair and took a seat. He was busy talking to Hermes, who was sitting beside him, about his day with the Oceanid.

"She thought I was really the most romantic man she had ever met," I heard him boasting proudly. "Of course I would know how to make her feel that I am that sort of man. Everything I did was perfect; a walk on the seaside, a little rendition with my lyre, a lunch under my sun and…."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Hermes nudge him with his elbow. Apollo looked almost annoyed that he halted his talking, but his expression changed after he turned to look at me when Hermes pointed in my direction quietly.

"Artemis! You're back!" he exclaimed in a mixture of panic and joy. But I only gave a small wave to him and turned away just as a nymph servant placed my dinner on the table. It was a simple dish of roast lamb shank with brown sauce and steamed vegetables.

"How was your day?" he asked me almost worriedly as I took a cut-up bite of my lamb. I didn't say anything at first, only concentrating on the delicious flavour of the succulent meat. He must have taken my silence as me ignoring him, so he spoke again. "Did you have fun hunting? I bet the weather in Crete was good."

Really? He had to talk about the weather? Well, that was kind of pathetic of him. But I knew that he meant well and was still probably feeling guilty for ditching me for an ocean nymph.

"It was alright," I answered him a small, barely-there smile. "There was a lot of game today. And of course, the weather was perfect. I even…"

At that point, I paused. I thought to myself whether or not it was a really good idea to tell Apollo about Orion. I don't really know how he would react to the fact that I had taken a tainted male under my wing. But I decided that, just in case his reaction would be negative, I should keep mum about it for a while. Besides, I hadn't officially made Orion a hunter yet. I still had the chance to discard him if I didn't want him.

"'I even' what, Artemis?" he pressed curiously. "What happened?"

I bit the tip of my tongue slightly as I thought of other words to say to him other than 'I met a giant named Orion and decided to let him try to be my hunter'.

"Nothing, Apollo," I finally answered. "It's just been a really good day. That was all. So how was your day?"

In an instant, Apollo started going on and on about how the Oceanid was so impressed and head-over-heels for his charms and about how she hoped he would give her the honour of taking her out again. I listened only half-attentively, giving short response and small nods. I was already too distracted with my own thoughts about the hunter I had met today, but I didn't know why I was even thinking about him so much.

Furthermore, I couldn't help but notice Aphrodite looking at me curiously throughout the whole dinner.

* * *

"I can see that something is bothering you just by looking at your face, Artemis. Confide in me your qualms, my dear daughter."

I looked away from the window of the palace lounge to my mother, who was sitting across me at a small table. She had her famous 'mother knows' look on her face as she assessed me.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in. I couldn't deny the fact that she was right. Something was bothering me. Two things, to be honest.

"You always seem to know everything, Mother," I breathed as I leaned forward to rest my forearms on the table.

"It is about your brother, isn't it?" she questioned gently. "I know that you must be upset that he forgot his promise to go hunting with you. But you know what he is like. He makes these mistakes too often, but he doesn't do it to intentionally hurt you."

"But he could have just told that Oceanid that he was already doing something with me," I grumbled in frustration. "What? Just because I'm his sister, that means that he could just forget me and instead go around looking for another one-time fling? I never broke any of my promises to him, Mother. But he always forgets his to me."

After I vented out my anger, I could feel her gently grasp one of my hands.

"You are a very patient person, Artemis, to be able to restrain your anger and put up with your younger brother's forgetfulness. And you too are very loyal, to be able to keep the promises you make to him. Don't forget that because of your qualities, Apollo is blessed to have you, for it is those qualities that make you the loving older sister."

I sighed and grasped her hand in return. "You're right, Mother," I said softly.

Then she murmured, "I cannot be certain, but I have a feeling that Apollo would learn to do the same to you in return. All it takes is time."

I took a deep breath and exhaled through my mouth as I nodded my head. I didn't have the mood to talk about Apollo anymore, because I knew that I couldn't actually do anything to make him change for the better. So, I went on to the other matter that was bothering me.

"May I tell you something, Mother? But please do not tell Apollo yet."

"Of course, my child. I promise."

"I have taken a man I met today under my guidance. His name is Orion and he is a son of Poseidon."

My mother's eyebrow rose in speculation. "Alright, but I do not see why is it so important that I should not tell Apollo as of yet."

"Because I'm afraid that Apollo wouldn't like me speaking of another man. You know how he is. He expects to be seen as something important in my eyes. Also, he might also be disappointed with me for allowing a man who is not chaste to join my service."

"Ah," my mother finally realized. "However, I do not see what is wrong with you allowing a non-virgin man to be in the hunt. What matters is that this Orion becomes a loyal hunter of yours who has good skills. Unless, of course, he is not really a good hunter and you are just letting him join for your own leisure."

My eyes widened in shock and mild insult. "Mother! How could you assume such things? I won't take in any men into my hunt for _leisure_!" I nearly choked on the last word because I was seriously taken aback by what my mother had said. Seriously? _Leisure_?

She gave me a gentle slap to my hand and chastised me softly, "Calm yourself, Artemis! I did not mean it in that way. I just meant to hope that you're not forgetting the importance of being a head of a hunt and just playing a game on the poor fellow. It would be even worse if you are just toying with his feelings and make him think that he could be a part of your hunt when in reality you don't want him to. You wouldn't be cruel as that now, would you?"

I rolled my eyes and mumbled, "Don't worry, Mother. I can assure you that I am not playing with his feelings."

"Good," she said firmly. "I hope you can become a good teacher to this Orion. I might like to meet him one day if I might add. See how good of a hunter he is at his own will and under your guidance."

"Of course, Mother," I grumbled without really listening to her. "I promise."

Unfortunately, it was only a few seconds later that I realize that I had unintentionally promise my mother to actually be a mentor, and a good one especially, to Orion, which meant that I had to make it happen.

Today was seriously just not my day.


	5. Chapter 4

**_Confiding to Hermes_**

Three days passed, and I barely even saw Apollo.

It doesn't necessarily mean I entirely didn't see him. He would still be home to perform the rising of the sun at dawn, eat breakfast in the dining hall, perform the setting of the sun at dusk and eat dinner at the dining hall. But for an entire afternoon, he would be missing.

It will only take me a split of a second to know that he was out with his new _girlfriend_.

Alright, there wasn't any reason for him to stay at Mount Olympus nor was there a rule saying he could not spend his time elsewhere. But I was starting to become a bit annoyed that he would just leave so quickly and eagerly to see that Oceanid because it kind of made me feel that he was starting to forget about me. I really didn't know why I felt that way when I know Apollo would never forget about me, but I just did.

"I kind of miss him, but I'm also really irritated with him," I complained to Hermes, who was busy looking through several pieces of parchment. Right now, the both of us were in the huge palace archives. Hermes was in the room to get something for Zeus, while I was there to keep him company and vent out my anger to someone who would actually be willing to listen.

Still thumbing through the parchments in his hand and not looking at me, he answered, "I understand the irritation. He won't stop talking about this ocean nymph. He keeps on telling me about how she was the most beautiful of her _many _sisters and how she was so in love with him. I don't want to be rude, but it's seriously annoying."

From my seat on one of the wine red plush reading chairs, I groaned and stared up blankly at the high ceiling. Even though it was nice of Hermes to listen to my complaints, I kind of felt bad for doing it, seeing how he was looking really busy right now.

"Are you doing anything later?" I asked him, watching him fly up to one of the highest shelves to get another scroll. I could hear his loud sigh and he said sadly, "I really wish I could do something with you, Artemis, but I have to find that parchment and deliver it to Demeter. And then I'll have to get something that Hades and Poseidon both have for Zeus. In simpler words, my schedule is pretty packed."

I groaned in dismay again. It was usually busy for this best friend of mine to be busy, since he was the messenger after all. I sometimes wonder how he does it so well, considering how much big of a responsibility that was and how it required so much work.

"How about you spend your day with your hunters?" he suggested as his spring green eyes scanned through the words on another piece of parchment. "Run through the forests and hunt animals or whatever else you and your hunt usually do."

In an instant, my mind started going back to Orion.

During these three days, Orion has been occupying my mind lately. I really felt irritated at first, but I then found myself to actually be thinking about him back. I'll admit that I was still kind of hesitant about making him a hunter of mine, still because of him being a giant and a non-virgin. But then, that part of me who was trying to encourage myself to allow him to join was growing stronger, until I found myself being accepting of the idea of letting him join.

Unfortunately, I was too caught up with my thoughts to stop the words from slipping out of my mouth.

"Well, there is Orion…"

I broke out of my thoughts and came upon realization of what I had just said at the same time there was a muted _thud _from a scroll that had dropped onto the floor from a great height. When my eyes trailed up to meet Hermes', I saw his eyebrows pulled together and his eyes looking at me incredulously.

"Orion?" he said the name slowly, disbelief and his confusion heard clearly in his tone. "A son of Poseidon?"

"You know him?" I questioned immediately.

"I've heard of him, but I've never met him before. But the real question is; how do you know him?"

I silently gulped a lump that suddenly formed in my throat and said hesitantly, "Uhm… Well… You see… I kind of…" I bit my bottom lip quickly, though a little roughly, to stop my stammering. But it was already too late for me. Hermes clearly knew something was up.

"Come on, Artemis. Tell me," he pressed eagerly, now having his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised to compliment his cocky, busy-body expression.

I groaned inwardly and muttered a curse to myself under my breath. For a split second, I thought that I should make an escape to the opened doors in order to avoid answering that question. But despite me being the fastest runner in the pantheon, Hermes was the fastest over all of us, thanks to those winged sandals of his.

Besides, the topic has gone too far to turn back now.

With a defeated sigh, I hesitantly answered, "I've taken him as a student and a hunter."

Only half a second had passed when Hermes suddenly appeared right in front of my face and exclaimed loudly in shock, "WHAT?"

I jumped and yelped in shock by how he had suddenly appeared in front of me so fast. I seriously hated it when he did that! My back pressed completely against the backrest of the reading chair and I took in the sight of Hermes' wide and shocked green eyes and his gapping mouth.

"What in Tartarus, Hermes! I could have been scared to death, you idiot!" I growled as I planted my hand against his shoulder and gave him a strong shove to get back my space. But since his strength levelled with mine, the shove was like no more than a little push for him.

Holding both his hands up, he said in disbelieving voice, "Hold on, hold on, hold on… Let me get this straight…. You allowed a non-chaste man to enter your hunt? Furthermore, a giant?"

Hermes knew how to pick up important points easily. Of course he would be completely baffled because he, like the others, knew that I did not favour non-virgin men and that I had a seething hatred for giants thanks to _them_.

Pointlessly playing with a lock of my hair, I said, "Despite his species, he's not really a giant. He's about the same height as Apollo. And he isn't as vile as most giants are. He's a really good hunter too, which was the entire reason I might allow him. I did not actually accepted him completely yet, but I might."

"But still, do you really think it's a good idea?" he asked quite concernedly. "Have you even thought this one through?"

I have thought this through, to be honest. More times than necessary, I don't know why. But I was still on the borderline between 'Let Orion join the hunt' and 'Refuse him while you still can'. Due to conflicting feelings, and I also wasn't sure why I had them in the first place, I was still very undecisive.

Because I had no better way to answer him, I just shrugged nonchalantly, "It doesn't hurt to allow him to join me, does it?"

At my response, Hermes raised an eyebrow as he eyed me judgmentally. Crossing his arms and tilting his head to the side, he asked, "Are you sure that it isn't for any other reason?"

"What other rea-" I halted my words when I realized what he might be implying. And then, the irritation flared strongly.

"**For the love of the Great Mother, it is not because of that!**" I shouted furiously and shot up from my seat to a standing position, causing Hermes to jump in shock. "**I let him into my hunt for his skills! Not for his face or body! How could you even think like that, Hermes?!**"

My rage halted when Hermes gripped my shoulders firmly with his hands and exclaimed urgently over my shouts, "Artemis! Calm down! That wasn't what I was thinking about! I swear!"

I still glared at him as I tried to determine whether he was lying or not. Unfortunately, the genuine truth in his bright eyes showed that he wasn't lying, and I immediately felt like an ass for lashing out at him so angrily like that.

_What exactly is wrong with you, Phoebe Artemis?! _my thoughts shouted._ Seriously?!_

"I'm sorry," I mumbled apologetically and hung my head in complete shame. I felt the hands on my shoulders reach up to cup my cheeks and he tilted it up so that I met his eyes again.

"It's alright," he replied calmly. "But just don't react like that again, alright? It's seriously scary."

The mock-terrified expression on his face was what made me giggle a bit and he smiled at that. After taking his hands away from my face, I asked him, "So what were you thinking about? Before I stupidly came to conclusions."

Hermes scratched the back of his head, messing his light blonde hair a bit, in hesitation and pursed his lips anxiously. His eyes roamed all around the room except staying locked on me, which I immediately knew meant that he wasn't sure if he wanted to say anything.

"Hermes, come on," I prodded gently, and then added, "I won't get angry. I promise."

Knowing very well that I wasn't going to let go of the subject until I got an answer, he sighed and told me slowly, "I thought that maybe you were actually doing that stupid plan that me and Dionysus suggested."

I pulled my eyebrows together and asked in confusion, "What plan?"

He shrugged, "You know. The one about you finding a man as sort of a payback towards Apollo for forgetting you for that nymph."

In an instant, I remembered exactly what had happened just four days ago. My being angry at Apollo for forgetting his promise to me, Hermes and Dionysus seeing me trying to comfort myself in vain and Dionysus suggesting that idea of his after wiping away sweet honey wine from his lips. I even remembered those words as though it had just been spoken just a few minutes ago.

_He forgets you for some girl. Why not you forget him for a man?_

And even until now, I still thought that idea was the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. What's done is done; I've forgiven Apollo for the millionth time for his mistakes and he was now devoting all of his free time to his new soon-to-be-or-already Oceanid lover.

And I can absolutely confirm that I am _not _and _never _going to use Orion to that use. I especially don't need him to be involved in my own personal business.

"No," I told Hermes indignantly. "No, I'm not using Orion for that. I can promise you that."

Hermes said nothing and just nodded his head in understanding.

I exhaled a deep breath and began walking around aimlessly to try and clear my thoughts. Picking up a random rolled-up piece of parchment from the small polished teak table next to the reading chair, I asked softly, "Can you do me a favour?"

"Anything, Artemis," he responded.

After I turned to face him again, I said, "Can you not tell this to anyone yet? Not that they won't find out, but I just want to keep it to myself for a little while longer."

Hermes was silent for a few seconds, but then a smile appeared on his lips and he nodded his head. I smiled back, knowing very well that he would stick to his promise and not let the news spread any faster.

I then looked at the parchment in my hand and unrolled it to read it. Scanning the first few lines of inked words, I muttered, "Hey, isn't this the parchment you were looking for?"

I saw how his eyes widened as he came forward and snatched the parchment out of my hands. After his eyes quickly scanned through the first few lines, he suddenly exclaimed in annoyance, "What the Tartarus!"

Then he turned on his heel and stomped out of the archives, cursing under his breath and telling himself how he was a fool for not checking the table in the first place, leaving me laughing heartily.

* * *

All this talk about my new hunter started to make me wonder how he was doing right now.

So I did one thing; I got on my chariot and rode to Crete.

All throughout the ride, I told myself that I was only going to see him to observe him hunt even more and evaluate. I could also continue to give him some lessons considering the fact that I had quite a lot of free time to kill.

My steeds and my chariot landed at exactly the same spot as last time. After untying the silver reins from the chariot and the horses' bridle and telling them to stay here and that I'll be back later, I grabbed my bow and quiver of arrows and ventured into the forests, keeping a sharp lookout for him.

About fifteen minutes passed and I've only seen a few wild animals roaming the forest grounds and birds fluttering from one tree branch to another above my head, but no Orion.

This was so troublesome. How was I supposed to find that mortal-sized giant now….

And then, I snapped my fingers when I remembered that because he was a son of a god, he was partially a divine being. I recalled the first time I had met him, I could feel a faint aura of divinity radiating from him.

But the problem was that I probably could only feel his aura at a close range and it was going to be kind of difficult to find him in this dense forest.

For a split second, I thought of returning back to my chariot and steeds and just fly back home, forgetting this plan entirely. But then I told myself that since I was already here and had even bothered to be here in the first place, I might as well just suck it up and continue to find him.

I walked briskly, keeping both a sharp lookout for any sight of Orion or for any feel of his aura. As I did, I looked around the forest around me and thought about how it was exactly like how it had been four days ago; very serene.

But just a few minutes after I was starting to enjoy the calmness of the evergreen forest, I finally picked up the faint aura.

Snapping back to attention, I followed the direction which the aura was radiating from. It led me to a cluster of trees. I was confused at first, but decided to walk into the cluster and see where it would lead me.

As I walked carefully around tree trunks and ducked hanging tree branches, I could hear a faint sound that grew stronger with each step I took forward. I guessed at the back of my mind that whatever was inside could either be a clearing or a glade, but why was there the distinct sound of rushing water?

Suddenly, the trees around me began to change. The trees on the outside had been tall and mighty trees that could provide shade with the branches. But the trees on the inside were all different; smaller, more frail-looking, and…. bore fruit! I looked at the trees around me in absolute awe, taking in the sight of many apple trees, olive trees, plum trees and etc.

I reached out to grab a ripe red apple from a close tree branch and took a generous bite into it. The taste was really sweet and the apple was crunchy. I smiled to myself in amazement and indulged myself in another bite. Thirty seconds later, only the core was left.

I made the apple core disappear, not wanting to dirty the forest grounds, when I saw a clear pathway up ahead. By now, the sound of rushing water was really close. It only made my curiosity rise even more and urged me to move closer to what was hidden in the trees.

When I walked back out into the open, I was greeted with an absolute surprise.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello there people!

Hope you liked this chapter. It's kind of only a filler, because I needed Hermes to get involved before the plot thickens. But please do stay tuned!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	6. Chapter 5

_**The Premature Confrontation**_

I was in a small clearing, the overhead branches of the tallest trees forming a canopy over it and allowing a decent amount of sunlight to shine through the mass of green leaves. Bushes that had colorful wild flowers outlined the area, radiating the air with its sweet-smelling perfume.

Seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, except that there was a small and slender waterfall right before my eyes.

The clean water fell from the edge of a small cliff from what must be a small river, falling into a decent plunge pool below it. The steam rose lazily from the fresh and clear blue waters, swirling around and then disappearing to mix with the air as it got higher. The sound of rushing water seemed gentler now and I could feel the soothing warmth it radiated on my face, even from where I was standing.

I couldn't help but be amazed by how such a place as quaint but beautiful as this had managed to stay hidden away snugly in a cluster of trees. This was indeed such a treasured find. I had to remember where it was in case I wished to visit again.

But suddenly, my attentions were pulled away by movements that came from the trees, a few feet away from the side of the pool. I gripped my bow tightly and was about to reach for an arrow from my quiver when I quickly stopped.

Orion was there, crouching on the grass with his back to me. He was under a plum tree, the dark purple leaves on the branches providing shade. Beside him, there was a bunch of ripe purple plums, arranged neatly into a small stack.

He didn't turn as I walked closer to him, so I guessed that he must have not seen me enter. I could hear the cutting of a plum by a sharp knife, followed by the sound of him taking a bite into the plump flesh and drinking its juices.

When I stopped right behind him (until now he still hasn't turn), I said sing-songly, "This is a nice place."

In an instant, he whirled around with his hunting dagger gripped firmly in his hand. His hand showed that he was about to attack me and the blade was close enough to give me a slash anywhere. My defending instincts flared raw then, and I jumped back a bit and grabbed an arrow with lightning speed, set it together with the bow, fully pulled back the string and aimed it right at his face.

The both of us were frozen, pointing our respective weapons at each other. But immediately, his eyes widened in shock and he dropped the dagger when he realized who exactly was in front of him. The dagger dropped too close to the stack of plums, causing the fruits to fall out of their neat arrangements.

"Lady Artemis!" he cried out. "You nearly scared the life out of me!"

Orion dropped on his bottom onto the grass, back against the trunk of the plum tree, and took a deep breath to get over the shock, while I finally relaxed the bowstring and kept the arrow back in my quiver. After I slung the bow on my right shoulder, I crossed my arms and said blankly, "A good hunter must always be alert of their surroundings. You may never know where and when danger can pop up from."

Exhaling another huge amount of air from his system, he muttered, "I'll keep that in mind."

I rolled my eyes and turned to look at the waterfall, returning to admire the beauty of the waters. "How did you manage to find a place like this?" I questioned him. "This waterfall seems to have escaped my strong sense of sight and sound for quite a long time."

Behind me, I could hear him stand and answer, "I've been staying here when I first arrived in Crete. Took me about six hours to find the perfect place of residence for me."

My curiosity started to grow when he said that he had been staying in this secluded clearing. "How long have you been staying here?" I asked when I turned back to him.

After picking up his dagger with one hand and a round purple plum with the other, Orion shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I kind of lost track of time since I got here, but I think it must have been around a month or so?"

Huh. I wonder what he was doing in Crete in the first place. Probably just coming here for his own leisure. That also got me thinking about where he originally hailed from.

I was brought out of my train of thought when he asked, "So I assume that you came here to continue your teachings to me?"

I nodded my head. "You guessed correctly. That was what I promised, wasn't it? Now get ready and we can move on."

Orion nodded his head obediently. But then he took a step closer to me and raised the hand that held the round plum. I raised a brow and looked at him in confusion, and then to the plum, and then back to him.

The corner of his lips tilted into a smirk, and he chuckled, "A token of my apologies. For pointing my weapon at you."

I couldn't help but laugh softly in amusement. I didn't know why I had laughed. Probably because I now thought that what happened just now seemed so silly or because of the sincerity in his teal eyes as he presented me the plum. But regardless of what, I gently took the plum from his hand.

"Apology accepted," I replied with a smirk before I took a bite of the sweet and juicy fruit.

* * *

After two hours of roaming through the evergreen forest and only catching small game, we finally managed to catch sight of sizable prey.

Crouching on a high branch of a tree, my eyes were fixed below on Orion, who was also in a crouch and was hiding silently in a thick mass of bushes with his wood and stone club gripped firmly in his right hand. Just outside the bush, a wild boar was slowly walking around, softly grunting as it sniffed the forest ground in search of food.

Orion's teal eyes looked up at mine and he raised his club slightly, a silent gesture to ask me if he could attack the boar now. I raised a hand as a motion to him to wait a while, because the boar was still too close. It could manage to escape if it was suddenly startled by Orion's sudden appearance.

I watched as the boar slowly moved away from the bushes that Orion was hiding in, its back turning to it. When it was finally a fair distance away, I saw the chance and motioned for Orion to move slowly but silently. He nodded and slowly crept out of the bushes. There was a slight rustle of leaves from his motions, but thankfully the boar was paying no attention to it.

I stayed in my crouch on the branch and watched Orion slowly creep up to the boar as silently as a mouse. When he finally stood right behind the animal, he quickly dropped his entire body weight on it and wrapped an arm firmly around its neck. Finally realizing that it was being attacked after a few short seconds of confusion, the boar started to struggle violently for an escape, its desperate squeals piercing sharply throughout the air.

Orion was being thrashed around like a rag doll as the boar tried helplessly to shake him off, but the hunter was able to maintain his hold around the animal's neck. Without wasting more than a few seconds, Orion raised the club and brought it down with force onto the boar's head.

Immediately, its struggles halted and it fell flat on its front, completely dead.

Orion took a few seconds to breath before lifting himself off of the dead animal. I gracefully jumped down from the tree branch on both feet and went over to the boar to inspect it.

"So how did I do?" he asked, kneeling beside me next to the boar. I was pressing my fingers down at various parts of its body, trying to locate a tender spot. He watched me curiously, though I knew he recalled this from the first lesson.

"You did well. You still need to learn how to attack your game more stealthily, but still, you did well," I answered him. From the corner of my eye, I could see his lips lifting up into a smile, obvious that he was satisfied of his good result.

And then, without a word, I took one of his hands and placed it on the junction that connected one of the boar's hind legs to its abdomen. He quickly jumped at the touch while I froze. It was because I realized that this was the first time I actually made physical contact with him, and it was so _sudden_.

I looked at him and saw that he was looking at me with a curious gaze and a raised eyebrow. Quick as lightning, I pulled my hand away and cleared my throat loudly to try (_hopelessly!_) not to make the situation more awkward than it already was.

Before he could even say anything, I asked in a rush, "Press down at that part. Tell me whether it is tender or tough."

He still looked at me curiously for a little while more before turning his eyes to his hand on the boar. He pressed his fingers down gently and circled the flesh. He looked heavenwards, assessing the feel.

"It is mostly tender," he said knowingly. "But I can sense a bit of toughness in the meat. Though I don't think it would be too difficult to cut it through."

"Very good," I said appraisingly and nodded approvingly as I rose to my full height. "You're really getting the hang of it, Orion."

Orion ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled in a show of mock bashfulness. I raised my eyebrow at him in confusion, wondering why he was suddenly being so shy when just a few minutes ago he had been so jolly and outspoken.

He must have seen the confusion on my face. He dropped his hand from his hair, keeping both arms at his sides, and said, "It's not everyday anyone gets a sincere compliment from a goddess, especially you."

My eyebrow arched higher. "You think I'm being sincere?" I asked him sceptically.

I know I must have sounded like the type of person who hated receiving compliments and instead give negative remarks. But I could not help but feel suspicious of his actions.

He nodded his head, but then he asked somewhat accusingly, "You think I am lying?"

I was put off when he had countered my words. I studied his stance, noting how now his eyebrows were slightly pulled together. With a deep breath, I shrugged my shoulders and replied, "Like I have said before, Orion. Trust doesn't come to those who have just met. If you haven't realized it, you're still under training. Not officially my hunter yet."

"Yes, I know that," he answered firmly as he too rose to his full height. "But putting that aside, why is it that even though you have agreed to let me train under you, you still treat me as some sort of leper and you think me so much a liar?"

Okay, I will not lie. I was starting to get annoyed with him right now. How dare he question me, a goddess? A goddess who was very capable of putting him in his place forever if he agitated me too much. It would only take me a few seconds to shrug my bow off my shoulder and set an arrow together with it.

So now I am wondering why exactly I wasn't fully lashing out on him as I would have expected to do.

With slight harshness in my voice, I took an intimidating step forward, causing him to back up a few steps, and retorted sharply, "We only met twice, Orion, and you're already treating me as though I am your friend? How am I _not _supposed to be suspicious of you? All my life, I've been suspicious of men, because who knows what they might do to women. Furthermore, I want to know myself why is it that I've allowed you to join despite the fact that you're not a virgin and you are a giant."

I could feel my face flush slightly with anger when I had finally finished my sentence. I had tried so hard to contain myself, but I just couldn't help it. Orion forced me to bring this ugly side of me on show and I hated him so much right now for that.

While I glared at him, his eyes remained soft. I wanted to scoff at the gentleness in his teal orbs, but strangely, I felt myself slowly relax.

"That is why you do not trust me? Because of my gratitude to you, my being a non-virgin and my race?" he questioned me slowly, but not angrily.

I exhaled a deep breath that I did not realize I had been holding. "It's just really… complicated," I mumbled.

Orion sighed and walked slowly around the dead boar (which I had forgotten about for a short while). Keeping his eyes on the ground, he asked, "I really do feel grateful to you, Artemis. That, I swear on my life, is not a lie."

"But why?" I questioned him. "I have done nothing to you to earn your gratefulness. Why do you treat me as such?"

Somehow, he managed to smile and I saw that it wasn't the joking smile I've known him to don, but instead it was a genuine smile. That made me relax slightly more, but leaving me in a tad more confusion.

"You willingly took me under your wing, even though you know of my shortcomings," he said solemnly.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

With a sigh, he met my eyes once more, and he replied gently, "I know of how strict your rules to those who wish to be in your hunt are. You want only virgins as your retinue. But despite that, you proved yourself to not be so unfair because I know you accepted me for my skill. Despite the fact that I lacked in one trait, you accepted me for another trait."

I stayed silent while he took a deep breath and continued on.

"I'm grateful to you because, to be honest, I don't know what I want to do with my life right now. I thought that I would just spend the rest of my days just wandering from one land to another and hunting for my own gain. It wasn't until I met you that I realized I could serve a purpose, and you allowed me that opportunity. Serving you, the Goddess of the Hunt, could be the highest achievement in my life." And then, he scoffed heartily and added, "In fact, it could be my only true achievement."

I looked at him in hidden awe by how open he was about all this. I had wanted to tell myself that he could be lying, but the sincerity he showed was so strong and so very pure. I felt myself relax completely out of my tense stance as my eyes never tore away from his.

Orion looked down at the ground again and I could hear him say softly, "I'm alright if you do not want to be a mentor to me anymore, Lady Artemis. Honestly, I'll be alright if you do not wish to continue it."

I was surprised that I had instantaneously shaken my head gently. "No," I heard myself mutter. "I never said I do not want to be your mentor anymore. I promised that I'll take you under my wing, and I fulfil my promises. Never doubt my words, Orion."

He met my eyes once more. His eyes were wide with a mixture of disbelief and relief. But slowly, a small smile appeared once again.

"I trust you," he simply replied.

We held our gazes on each other for a little while longer before I pulled away. As I looked blankly at the ground, I was suddenly overwhelmed with so many thoughts that I was starting to get very dizzy. I felt as though I could faint anytime if I did not find a place to be by myself right now.

"I must go now," I said suddenly. "I have… some errands to run."

Orion didn't question and simply nodded his head. "Of course. Being a goddess, you must have other matters to attend to." And then, in a gentler tone, he added, "I'll see you again soon, Lady Artemis."

This time, I felt that it was right to give him a smile, which I did. I bade him a civil farewell and walked away from him, only hearing him pick up the boar off the ground as I left.

As I made my way through the trees and to the beach, I began to feel so confused about the way I had reacted from the beginning to the end of our 'too-early' confrontation.

I wondered to myself why I had acted as such, but I myself had no clue.

* * *

_Somewhere, someone indirectly feels the emotions running through Artemis' heart, and a small and gentle smile slowly appears._

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, my lovely readers. This is a time where I would like to interact with you.

Before I go on, I just want to say that I know Artemis is acting pretty mean in this chapter, but that's because she's really going through a lot of things right now, especially how her emotions easily shift from one to another whenever she's with Orion. That part would be explained in a future chapter.

Anyway, I thought I'd mention that on my profile, I have some pictures of how I think the gods and goddesses look like in my head. I even have my own dolls of them using the Game of Thrones Dollmaker. And on that topic, I just want to ask all of you something.

By your own opinion, how do you think Orion looks like?

I really don't know why, but I keep on visioning Liam Hemsworth as Orion. His face was the first to pop into my mind when I thought of Orion.

So give me your descriptions in the reviews or maybe PM me. If you feel like it, maybe send me a picture too. If you don't want to participate, I won't mind. I just hope you enjoyed this chapter!

_Muse of Fanfiction_

P.S. On a random note, I once had this angry message from a reader asking me why I didn't imagine Jennifer Lawrence (aka. Katniss Everdeen) as Artemis. No offense to those who visioned her as Artemis, but I just don't.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Mixed Feelings**_

"Hey. Make your move."

I looked away from the opened window beside me to Athena, who was sitting across me. We were in the lounge, sitting at the small table where, just two nights ago, I had sat with my mother and had our little talk. On the table between us were a petteia board with sixteen pieces of gemstones as the playing pieces (eight red stones for Athena, eight purple stones for me) and two separate chalices of nectar.

I looked back at the board game and assessed the placement of each individual gemstone. After thinking it through, I picked up a purple gemstone and moved it onto an empty square.

Just less than two seconds later, Athena swiftly moved one of her red gemstones to a square next to the purple I had just moved and announced, "I caught you. Again."

I studied the gemstones a bit more and saw that there were red gemstones on every side of my purple gemstones, thus realizing that she did in fact catch me. Huffing slightly, I muttered, "Goddess of Strategy indeed."

She chuckled and shook her head as she took away my captured gemstone piece and placed it at the side of the board. "This has nothing to do with strategy. You just simply walked into the trap," she pointed out with a smirk.

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly before picking up my chalice of nectar and turning away to look out the window, admiring the shining stars in the dark night sky. Each of the hundreds of stars twinkled and shined brightly in unison. Each was a special gem in their own form. I could somehow make out patterns from the stars and it amazed me even more.

"Are you alright, Artemis?" I heard Athena ask. "You really seem so distracted lately."

While I sipped my nectar, my eyes turned to look back at her. Putting the chalice down and swallowing quietly, the sweetness of the nectar still lingering on my tongue, I answered, "I have been pretty distracted, huh? It's just that…."

"It's about Apollo, isn't it?" she questioned suddenly, cutting me off. She exhaled a sigh and said, "I can understand that you're feeling upset that he doesn't seem to be here anymore. But you and I both know that is how he is. He sees a pretty face and he gets obsessed over it until the next pretty face shows up. But you also should know that he's not doing this to forget you on purpose."

I snorted in response and told her, "Apollo's the least of my concerns now."

Her eyes widened slightly and both her eyebrows rose. "He isn't the reason?" she asked, to which I nodded. "If not him, then what else is bothering you?" she questioned.

I sighed and looked down blankly at the petteia board. In my thoughts, I went back to what had happened between me and Orion just this afternoon. I had been distracted by it the entire day, entirely confused about how I had acted. It was so out of character for me to react in such a way, especially to a nearly-stranger like Orion. I was so angry with myself for being like that, and even angrier because I didn't know why I had been like that.

But what really got me thinking so much was how easily Orion's calm and gentle words had managed to sooth me and prevent my oncoming anger. This stranger had managed to calm _me_. It was as though he was the small chalice of water that had succeeded in putting out the deadly fire that was me. It was unbelievable, honestly.

I could not deny the fact that I was somewhat glad that he had managed to calm me down.

_Should I tell her? _I thought to myself as I pondered whether or not telling Athena about Orion was a good idea. _She might be able to give me some advice._

_No, no, no. Are you crazy? How do you think she'll react if you do?_

_It's better than keeping it a secret for long._

_You're just going to shame yourself._

"Artemis?" Athena murmured with concern clear in her voice. "I'm really getting worried. What's bothering you?"

_It would be one less person to keep it from._

_You had better not regret this._

Before I knew it, I was telling Athena ALL about Orion. Well, all except about the fight today and our supposed reconciliation. She didn't look as utterly surprised or shocked as how Hermes did. Instead, she kept quiet and listened to me attentively, nodding her head in understanding at some moments.

When I had finished, I nervously twiddled my thumbs and asked, "So what do you think?"

Athena didn't say anything right afterwards. Instead, she pursed her lips, looked down blankly at the board game and drummed her fingers lightly on the table. Then she reached for her chalice and sipped her nectar, set the chalice down, swallowed silently, leaned forward, crossed her forearms and rested it on the table, and looked right at me.

That was a trait of hers that I wasn't fond of; she can make you feel immensely tense and nervous as you wait for her to give her opinion, be it good or bad.

Her lips parted and she muttered, "Well… A son of Poseidon, huh?"

I knew exactly why she had muttered like that. She wasn't really too up for a conversation that included anything to do with Poseidon, considering her rivalry with the Ocean God in the past.

"Yup," I replied, making a popping sound with my lips at the 'p'.

Athena nodded her head for a while, and then said, "Is he really that good that you want him to be a hunter?"

"He is," I answered truthfully and then shrugged, "Not better than me, but still very good by his standards."

Nodding her head again, she then replied, "I don't really see a problem with that. Do as you wish. I won't stop you."

I arched a brow curiously. "You're not at all shocked that I've allowed a non-virgin man into my hunt?"

Athena shook her head with furrowed eyebrows and replied, "Why should I be shocked? You take him under your guidance to help him develop his hunting skills. That shows that you're actually kind enough to be willing to give him some of your time. It's not like you're doing a crime or anything."

Her answer only made me a little more agitated, which I didn't know why.

"But still. I'm reputed to be the huntress who _only _allows virgins into the hunt. Allowing a non-virgin to be in would make me look…. unlike myself!" I exclaimed almost frustratingly.

Athena _tutted _and shook her head in disappointment. "Now that's just absurd, Artemis. You shouldn't be what others think you should be. If you think this non-virgin has good hunting skills, is capable of being a hunter of yours and you wish to allow him into your hunt, so do it. Nobody will stop you."

Then she looked deep in thought again, and added almost quietly, "But just be sure that you've thought this through and that you are fine with it. And also be sure that he is indeed worthy of being in your presence."

Feeling assured by Athena's prep talk, I smiled and reached out a hand to place it over hers on the table. "Thank you, Athena. That really is helpful, and I'll be sure to take it into mind."

She gave me a smile back, but then said out of the blue, "It seems that we have forgotten about our game, though I am pretty sure I am on the winning end. May I interest you in a rematch?"

I rolled my eyes in amusement, but we proceed to rearrange out respective set of gemstones to their starting positions.

"Make your move," I told her.

* * *

I was walking back to my room, preparing to go to bed, when I heard it.

Music echoed softly through the corridor, but loud enough for me to hear the beauty of the melody. It was clearly made by a string instrument. The musician plucked at the strings so professionally that with each pluck from a different string, some at different timings while others at the same, it formed easily into one lovely piece.

I came to a stop to allow my ears to listen to the music. I felt as though the symphony was floating gently around me, completely hypnotising me. With shut eyes, a smile eventually came to my lips as my mind turned blank and only concentrated on the melody.

Only one immortal in the entire world could create such beauty of sounds. And I knew exactly who.

I opened my eyes again and, with a pleased smile on my face, went straight to door of my twin brother's room. Like I had known, the music was coming from inside. With the smile still on my face, I lifted a hand to knock on the door gently.

The music came to a stop gracefully, followed by the opening of the door.

Apollo stood there with his lyre in his hand. When he saw that it was me, his sky blue eyes brightened and a wide smile immediately formed on his lips.

"Artemis," he greeted happily. "What brings you here? Has the sounds of my great lyre brought you to me?" he asked with a both his eyebrows raised and a cocky expression on his face.

I chuckled and nodded my head. "I couldn't help but be entranced by it, brother," I told him, and then added, "As usual."

He laughed in mirth before opening the door wider, gesturing for me to come in. I made my way in as though I owned the room and plopped myself down on the edge of his soft and comfy large bed, atop the dark golden silk blankets.

"So, what was the inspiration for that piece?" I asked as he sat down beside me and put aside the lyre. "It must be a great inspiration, considering how beautiful it was."

He smiled shyly and nodded. "It is," he said gently. "Cliantha."

I became very confused. "Who?" I asked, having never heard that name before.

He turned to look at me then and explained, "The Oceanid I'm with now. She's a really stunning creature. Kind, thoughtful, gentle and beautiful. Wow, I'm really glad to find such a person."

Apollo did not notice the way I stiffened as he dreamily talked about his new lover, but I was glad that he didn't. Deep inside me, I felt a pang of irritation that he did not even once realize that he had lately not been seeing me or at least realized that I tried to see him. Here I was, finally getting to spend some time with him, and he immediately talked about wonderful _Cliantha_.

However, I strongly suppressed the jealousy that I felt growing in me. Despite how angered I was that he had seemingly forgotten about me for these past few days, I wanted to be happy for whatever made him happy. Though I do feel worried that whatever that was wasn't going to last for him.

Not wanting him to see the negative feelings in me, I forced myself to give an encouraging smile. "That's great, Apollo. She sounds perfect for you."

"Maybe she is," he murmured wistfully with a dreamy smile.

The jealousy began gnawing me from the inside as a poisonous thought appeared in my head.

_Now pay attention to me, you lovesick idiot._

Immediately, I pinched myself hard on the arm to ignore that thought. What was wrong with me? I didn't want to think that way. I didn't want any feelings of hatred or envy to envelop me at all.

Apollo looked at me in confusion when I gave a small hiss of pain. "Are you alright, sister?" he asked me concernedly.

I nodded my head almost too defiantly. "Yes, I am," I answered with a small smile. And then, in order to avoid any questions, I asked him hopefully, "Are you free tomorrow? Maybe we can go hunting together."

The look of remorse as he looked away guiltily and the small hiss of hesitation he made was already enough to tell me his answer.

"I'm really sorry, Artemis," he apologised sincerely. "But I promised Cliantha that I'll take her on a ride on my chariot to Delphi to see the villages. She always wanted to go there and I felt obliged to do it for her."

Apollo must have caught sight of the disappointment on my face and gently took one of my hands in his. "I promise we'll go another time, alright?" he told me reassuringly with a small smile.

"Are you sure?" I sighed, disappointment clear in my voice. "Is there anything else you're going to do with Cliantha?"

I had no intention to say the last part, because I knew it would make me sound sceptical and might even show that I wished for some of his attentions. My pride was too great for me to be seen as needy. Unfortunately, the words already spilled out before I could stop it.

He pursed his lips unsurely. "There might be a few more things," I heard him mutter.

I exhaled another sigh, but I then gently patted his shoulder with my free hand. "It's alright," I said to him gently. "You just go ahead and have fun with her, alright?"

And then I slipped my other hand from his grasp and stood up from the bed. "I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed now," I told him before I turned and walked towards the doors. I had just reached the door when he started speaking, causing me to stop in my tracks.

"Are you sure you're alright with me being with Cliantha, Artemis?" he asked in an uncertain and concern voice.

_Pride forbids me to show weakness. _I mentally reminded myself firmly.

"Yes," I replied in a forced 'easy' voice. "I'm alright with it."

* * *

Apollo went off to fetch Cliantha just right after breakfast. Everyone else seemed so busy today. Even Mother had gone off to Delos, her sacred home and my and Apollo's birthplace, to bless a festival of mothers on the island.

With nothing else to do, I went to Crete to see Orion, just to have someone to talk to.

The forest on the island was quiet as I walked the way to the cluster of trees that hid Orion's 'home'. My bow and quiver of arrows were strapped to my back, leaving my hands free to carry the items that I had brought for the giant.

I will admit that I felt bad for lashing out on him yesterday. I recalled the gentle smile he gave me and it made me feel even guiltier. In my room last night, I came up with the decision to give him a token of apology and had managed to find the perfect gifts.

I quietly walked into the cluster of trees slowly, hearing the rushing of the small waterfall clearly. Finally, I reached the colourful fruit trees and saw the pathway into the clearing. With one deep breath, I walked out.

My eyes immediately caught sight of him sitting against a rock on the edge of the pool. He was looking at something in his hands with pure concentration, but he looked up when I greeted loudly, "Hello, Orion."

He smiled when he set his sights on me. I didn't hesitate to smile back.

* * *

Author's Note:

Let's welcome Athena, the wise older half-sister, and welcome back Apollo, who finally makes an appearance away from his precious Cliantha! Artemis is seriously confused of her feelings right now! What exactly is happening?

Anyway, thanks all those who responded to the question on the previous chapter. I could easily vision how Orion must look like in your eyes, and it was all pretty interesting :)

Until Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	8. Chapter 7

_**Gifts & Archery**_

"Greetings, my lady. Very nice to see you again," Orion greeted with his warm and welcoming smile. "Though I didn't expect it to be this soon," he added.

As I made my way towards him, I shrugged my shoulders and said nonchalantly, "I had nothing to do at Mount Olympus. Might as well I come here to kill some time."

I took a seat on the grass perpendicular to him and I noticed then that in his hand was a dagger that I have never seen him use before. This dagger was completely different from the hunting dagger I've seen him to have. The blade of this dagger was undeniably made of stone, looking smooth with sleek and sharp edges, and it was fixed securely onto a carved wooden handle.

"That's pretty," I commented, gesturing with a tip of my chin to the dagger. "Where did you get it?" I asked.

He looked at it and smiled. "I made it," he said simply.

My eyes widened in amazement then. "You made it?" I asked in shock. When he nodded his head in confirmation, I murmured in awe, "That's amazing. And it really is so beautiful. You really have quite the talent."

"Thank you," he said modestly, both his eyes and mine admiring the dagger. But then, he held it out to me, his eyes urging me to take it. When I looked at him in slight confusion, he said, "I made it for you."

My mouth fell open slightly and my eyes widened. "Are you serious?" I questioned in disbelief, my face still pulled into a shocked expression. I must have looked completely ridiculous; bug-eyed with a slightly gaping mouth.

Orion didn't say anything. He kept his smile on and nodded his head again.

I couldn't believe it. This was totally unexpected. Usually, I would have found his behaviour right now as very suspicious (as I always do) and began interrogating him about what he wished to gain for this 'present' of his. However, I did not feel that way right now. To be honest, I felt very touched that he would even bother to make me such a nice gift.

"Oh, thank you, Orion. This is truly great," I said graciously, giving him a thankful smile that showed my teeth. The sight of my wide smile must have been what caused his own to widen and the brightness in his eyes to grow.

I took the dagger from him gently and carefully, as though I was afraid that I could accidentally break it (which was absolutely impossible for me to be accidental), and began to study it. It felt strong in my hand and I knew that it would be a very good weapon. I ran the pad of my index finger on both the smooth blade of stone and the smooth wood handle. I turned over the dagger and my eyes immediately caught sight of something that intrigued me so.

Carved in the middle of the wooden handle were some Greek inscriptions. It had been carved excellently and perfectly into the wood with no sight of any visible flaws whatsoever. I scanned my eyes over the inscription and was completely taken aback by what it said.

_Ἄρτεμις_– my name.

"I carved your name so that others know that this dagger from me belongs to you and only you," Orion explained, watching me gaze at my carved name. "You're also probably wondering why I would give you a gift. I did it because I felt bad about what happened yesterday and figured that this would be able to cheer you up."

I turned to look at him then and saw the sincerity and goodwill in his greenish eyes. It only made me realize how much I did not want to suspect him of anything. My wish was further enhanced by the fact that I could not sense lies from him.

"Thank you so much. This is a pleasant gift. I only wish…"

I wanted to say 'I only wish I could give you something in return'. But I stopped my sentence immediately upon realization that I did in fact bring something for him.

I immediately turned my head to his gifts, which were lying on the grass beside me. I put down the dagger and picked up the gifts with both hands, presenting it to him with a big smile of my own.

Orion looked at me in complete shock and disbelief as he gazed at the bow and arrow in my hands.

"This is for me?" he asked in a breathless voice, his eyes never leaving the items I presented him.

The bow was carved out of very strong reddish-brown oak wood, polished so thoroughly that some of the sun's light could be reflected off it, and it had a thick strand of strong and durable spider silk acting as the bowstring. To go with the fine wooden bow was a leather quiver of twenty wooden arrows with sharp iron tips.

Both the bow and the quiver of arrows were gifts from Hephaestus, who made it for me during his spare time. Though very beautiful, I had no use of them for I had my own silver bow and arrows and a reasonable collection of other kinds of bows. I thought that it would be a perfect gift for Orion. I think Hephaestus wouldn't mind if I gave it to him.

"Yes," I replied, and then said in a solemn tone, "I too feel bad for lashing out on you. It's not only rude, but is also not the way a mentor should treat her student."

Orion ran his fingers through his messy bronze hair, looking somewhat glad. Probably because he knew that he was forgiven or that I apologized for my own mistakes. But whatever it was, he said in a gracious tone, "Thank you, Lady Artemis. This is really very thoughtful of you."

With gentleness in his movements, his hands made to receive the weapons. But then, I pulled it away from him at the last minute.

"Hold on for a while," I instructed him with my eyes fixed on the arch of the bow. "There is something I forgot."

And then, with a wave of my hand over the bow arch, inscriptions began to appear by itself on the wood, right at the grip below the arrow rest. Orion watched the words appear in amazement, but he suddenly chuckled heartily when he realized that the inscriptions said _Ὠρίων_– his name.

"There," I said proudly as I handed him the bow in one hand and the quiver of arrows in the other. "It's perfect. Now everyone will know that this gift from me is to you and you only."

Orion took the items from my hands with his usually jolly smile and began to admire it more. He felt the smoothness of the wood of the bow, plucked at the spider silk bowstring and carefully and quickly felt the sharpness of the arrow tips with the pad of his index finger.

"Lady Artemis…" he murmured. "This is all so great. I am blessed to receive such weapons from you. But…"

My eyebrows furrowed at the hesitation of his voice. He pursed his lips and looked away from me in what I could only guess was shame.

"What, Orion?" I asked him with concern in my tone. "What's wrong?"

Orion then let out a shaky breath and a nervous laugh. If it weren't for my strong hearing, I would have missed him muttering, "I don't know archery."

He must have expected me to laugh or snort at this incapability of his. But I did not do any acts of insult. Instead, I smirked in response and proceeded to make a stand. He looked up at me with a curious look.

With one hand on my hip and the smirk still on my face, I held my other hand out to him and he averted his curious eyes to that. He looked back up at me when I said, "Come on. I'll teach you."

* * *

Orion was a fast learner, if I do say so myself.

We remained in his clearing, with me teaching him the ways of the bow and arrow. I instructed him on how to properly grip his bow and how to set the arrow to it. I showed him the best way to stand when using the bow and how to properly hold the nook of the arrow to the bowstring as the string was being pulled back.

When he was able to master those simple tasks, we moved on to the bigger deal. With my new dagger, which was indeed really strong, I carved out targets on the trunks of some trees. I would fix those trunks once we were done with training.

Orion observed me use my own silver bow and arrows for the first few rounds. He keenly watched how I worked with my signature weapons, from the moment I set the arrow to the moment I sent it flying to the target, the tip burrowing itself right exactly in a bull's-eye. When he was finally confident, he took the stand while I sat down atop the rock he had been sitting against just now. I silently observed him like a hawk.

The momentum he unleashed in the arrow was good. He was able to send the arrow flying right into the bark of the tree trunk. Though his movements were slightly clumsy and rigid and he did not manage to get a single bull's-eye, I could sense potential in him.

Later on, just as he was about to fire another arrow, I got on my feet and announced aloud, "Come on, Orion. Let's go hunting."

He dropped the arrow in his hand and looked at me with wide eyes. "But Lady Artemis, I have not mastered archery yet," he said to me like an uncertain little boy.

"It's alright," I assured him. "You don't have to use the bow and arrow if you feel like you're not ready. Just bring your club and we can go."

He considered his decision for a while before he picked up the arrows that were on the ground and put it back into the quiver, slung both the quiver and the bow on his shoulder and picked up his club, which had apparently been behind the rock that I had been sitting on just now. When he was ready, he followed me out of his clearing.

The day was abundant with many small game and reasonable large ones. We ran side-by-side and worked in unison, with me shooting arrows at far-distanced targets and him tackling down those at short distances. The game we managed to catch would then be wrapped up and half would be transported to my chariot at the beach while the other half would be sent to Orion's clearing.

After about an hour or so of good hunting, we finally took a break next to a small stream. We both sat under the trees in the cooling shade. I conjured up some wooden cups so that we could scoop up the fresh stream water to drink.

"Quite a day today, isn't it?" he commented with a tired smile as he wiped sweat away from his brow with the back of his hand.

I nodded in agreement as I took another sip of the refreshing water. "It is. It is just as good as hunting with my nymphs. You are really good company, Orion."

"May I take that as a compliment?" he asked with a smile.

I smiled back and nodded my head. "You may."

Orion bowed his head graciously, but his expression froze and he became silent as his eyes suddenly became concentrated on something up ahead.

"What is it?" I asked.

He held up a finger, signalling me to be quiet. Though usually I would have told him off for trying to silence me, I held my tongue back and instead waited for something to happen.

Without a word, Orion stood up slowly and quietly shrugged off his bow and quiver from his shoulder. He grabbed one arrow and set it to the bow, fully pulling the bowstring back. I took the moment to stand up quietly as well and look over to what his eyes were concentrated on.

I understand now. On the other side of the stream, partially hidden in the trees, was a buck. It did not seem to take notice of us, instead being too preoccupied trotting around slowly and lazily. I knew immediately that Orion was taking advantage of this moment to try and shoot it.

I did not say anything. I remained silent, waiting for the arrow to be released. On the inside, I was hoping that the past few hours of practising would pay off for him. If only he could just get one good shot…

Just then, I heard the _twang! _of the bowstring as it reverted back to its original position, followed by the sound of the arrow flying through the air at top speed, the sound of the sharp tip boring into flesh and the painful yelp of the buck.

And before my very eyes, I saw the buck falling to the ground, with the tip of the arrow burrowed deep into the side of its neck, right exactly at a vital nerve.

Both Orion and I looked at it with wide eyes at first, with him slowly dropping the hand that held the bow. And then, the both of us jumped across the small stream at the same time and jogged, reaching the buck together.

The buck was completely paralysed, breathing frantically while looking at the both of us with scared eyes. In a flash, I grabbed the stalk of the arrow and forcefully pulled it out, handing it to Orion after that. As he took it from me gently, I also reached for the stone blade dagger that was hanging from the sash of my knee-length chiton.

I brought the dagger to the area where the buck's heart should be. With the other hand, I caressed its neck, trying to coax it to not hold on any longer and just let go. It seemed to know what I wanted it to do, for its breathing slowed immediately.

And quickly, I drove the blade into the heart, killing it instantly.

When the buck finally lay dead, I pulled the dagger out and looked over at Orion.

"That was a good shot," I complimented him with a small smile. "I see that your training is paying off."

The smile on his lips turned wider in satisfaction. I could see in his eyes that he was happy that he had managed to get a good shot, despite being newly-introduced to archery. I too felt proud of him. I knew he had it in him.

"This certainly calls for a small celebration," he announced in a jolly tone. Then he looked at me hopefully and asked, "I know that it is already late afternoon, but would you be willing to stay so that I could prepare a meal for the both of us? I can assure you that my cooking abilities would be seen as suitable."

I blinked in surprise that he had actually invited me to eat with him. _Should I? _I thought to myself. It was the late afternoon and I might like to hunt a bit more before I returned to Mount Olympus. But then again, there was no one for me to spend time with back home. I doubt Apollo would make an appearance until sunset.

I nodded my head in acceptance. "Why not?"

* * *

Author's Note:

I really don't know whether this is a good chapter. I didn't receive any reviews for the previous chapter, except for one from **_Ariovc_ **, so I felt kind of anxious to know what the rest of you guys thought of it. You still there?

And I hope that all of you don't think that I am whining. I just like to hear from you guys a lot and it kind of gets me worried when I don't hear from you.

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Orion's Story**_

We got back to the clearing in half an hour, preparing to prepare a meal.

The both of us agreed on a grey rabbit and Orion began to skin it and cut it up into pieces before collecting some water from the pool to wash the blood off the meat. I was impressed by his outdoor cooking skills. He and I both seem to share some knowledge in that field.

As he prepared the rabbit, I helped out by starting a fire. The fire was easy to start, using just a bit of my powers and some small but good firewood. I even found a clean flat stone to be held above the growing fire, supported by a stack of stones on either side of the fire. When Orion was done cutting up the rabbit meat, he spread it all out on the clean flat stone. He and I then both went off to collect some fruits.

It felt weird to be working in companionship with him. It gave me this feeling in my gut which made me feel in a mixture of comfort and discomfort, somewhere in between. It was not a nice feeling, but I really couldn't shake it off.

When the fruits were collected and we got back to the clearing, I sat under the nearby plum tree, watching him tend to the rabbit meat, flipping the pieces over periodically with his hunting dagger. As I watched, my mind started to ponder over questions about him out of the blue.

This time, I wasn't hesitant and to let my mind wonder about whom he really was. I have taken this man as an apprentice, yet I knew so little of him. That wasn't really good and I had to do something about it.

"Who are you?"

Orion was in the middle of turning over another piece when he stopped at my question. He lifted his eyes from the cooking meat to me, confusion clear on his face.

"What?"

Holding his gaze with a straight face, I asked again, "Who are you?"

"Lady Artemis, what exactly do you mean? You already know me," he said with a confused frown. He put down his dagger on the clean grass and stood up to his full height, his body facing me completely.

I shook my head lightly. "I don't know a lot about you. All I know is that your name is Orion, you are a son of Poseidon, you are a giant who looks very mortal and you are a hunter. Other than that, I know nothing of you."

At that, he looked down at the ground and pursed his lips. I took notice of how lightly his hands clenched slightly, evidencing the hesitance and uncertainty he was having.

"You do not need to tell me if you don't wish to," I told him gently. "It is your wish."

"It's a really long story."

"I've got time."

Orion said nothing more. He just silently went to my side and took a seat down on the grass. His back, like mine, pressed up against the trunk of the plum tree.

I waited patiently for him to begin. Finally, after taking a deep breath, he started.

"I don't really remember most of my childhood, but I recall that I was raised by no one and I traveled to many different islands, thanks to an ability I gained from my father, Poseidon."

"What ability was that?" I asked.

"The ability to walk on water."

"Ah, I see."

"Whenever I set foot on land, I usually choose to reside very somewhere close to the sea, so that I may speak to my father if I ever felt lonely. Sometimes he responds, either by whispering words to me in the sea breeze or sending me a message in the form of an object like a conch shell. Meanwhile, I taught myself to hunt so that I would survive. It was difficult at first, but I managed. I even learned to make small weapons for myself, like the dagger I made for you. However, I wished for a proper weapon that I may use to ease my burden. My father knew of my plight, because one day, he sent me a gift that came washed up onto the shore by the waves. That gift was my stone and iron club."

"Poseidon gave you that club?"

Orion nodded his head. "It has been with me since young. Over the years, my expertise as a hunter grew and I decided to showcase my talent to others. I would walk across the sea to any island that came within my sight, and stop by at any village I come across and volunteer my services, usually to rich families. Soon, word of me got around, to the point where I became the talk of every village, the dream of many women and the envy of several other hunters." And then, he chuckled, "I wasn't ashamed though. In fact, I found myself craving for more attention. I didn't care if I garnered the scorn of many. It just felt so good to be idolized."

I laughed and rolled my eyes silently at that. So Orion inherited one more trait from Poseidon; being an attention seeker. Like father, like son – if I do say so myself.

He continued on with his tale.

"Somewhere around that time, I married a woman named Side, but the marriage was cut short when she suddenly disappeared. I didn't think much of her disappearance, to be honest, and just went on with life. One day, I received an offer to work for King Oenopion of Chios. I took it immediately when I was given a high pay. When I first arrived at the palace of Chios, I caught sight of the princess, Merope of Chios, and was so struck by her beauty that when I finally met with the king, I requested that I receive Merope's hand in marriage instead of the treasures I was offered in the first place. The king agreed, but I would receive it only after I have completed the task I had been bestowed, which was to rid the island of the deadly monsters which inhabit it."

A short moment of silence ensued and I took the moment to absorb the information. It didn't surprise me that he would have a woman – or women – in his life. He was the son of a god, a handsome son at that, and being a son of a god, especially a major god and a king like the proud Poseidon, came with being incredibly lustful. But still, I couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort at listening about those women, Side and Merope.

"And did you complete your task and gain the princess' hand?" I asked him, intent on hearing more.

Orion let out a sigh and his expression turned grim when he spoke again.

"I hunted and hunted until no monsters were left. But King Oenopion decided in the end to refuse me Merope's hand and became insistent that I just take the treasures offered and leave the island. I was so angered and threatened to commit vile acts towards the royals if I was not given her hand. Oenopion did not take my threat too well and forcefully threw me out empty-handed. That night, I drowned my anger in barrels and barrels of wine and mead, but it still lingered, hot and venomous. I wasn't going to let this matter go. That night, I sneaked back into the palace and climbed in to Merope's room through the window. And then…."

He immediately pursed his lips into a thin line and looked at me hesitantly. I had a clear idea of what he wanted to say, but I was glad that he stopped, and was even gladder that he knew very well that I was one who hated talking about rape.

"I didn't manage to do so," he added quietly. "I was caught before I could commit the most stupid deed. Oenopion was utterly furious and punished me in the most horrible way. He had his men trap me in chains, an easy feat for them due to my weak drunk state. As they kept me trapped, he took two of the sharpest knives he owned and brought it down onto my eyes."

I did not even attempt to stifle the gasp that escaped my lips. Orion grimaced in repulsion at the bitter memory, but he continued on nonetheless.

"It was completely horrible, being rid of your ability to see. You feel useless, pathetic and unworthy. For weeks, I wandered around blindly, hearing people gossip so openly about me. They spoke of how my skills would now go to waste, how I deserved the punishment and how I should just end my life. 'His skills are useless now. What a waste,' they would say. 'He cannot see! Why should he continue living?' they would say. I became bitter and foul, lashing out at anyone who would dare say my name with their tongue. But I did nothing more than curse their lives and pointlessly brandishing my club and dagger. I was all talk but no action. But what exactly could I do? I was blind."

Orion stopped suddenly and covered his face with a hand. He breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down before the anger that was beginning to grow inside him threatened to possess him completely.

I wanted to give him time, but my curiosity got the better of me, making me itch to know what happened. "How did you get your sight back?" I asked quietly.

He removed his hand from his face, but he looked away from me. "I didn't know how long I've been wandering around. It could have been days, weeks, months or even years. But finally one day, I was walking on the sea again when I suddenly heard the sound of something heavy hammering against metal. Desperate to find refuge, I followed the sound, not stopping until I reached the source. I came closer and closer to it until I finally heard the hammering stop, and a voice asked, 'Who are you, mortal, to come upon the island of Lemnos, abode of Hephaestus?'"

My eyes widened immediately. "You met Hephaestus?" I inquired in awe.

"Yes. I told him my name and about what had happened to me. He seemed to have taken pity, and he took one of his servants, a young man named Cedalion, and sat him on my shoulders. Lord Hephaestus told me that Cedalion would lead me to the east to find Helios the Titan of the Sun, who was the only person who could cure me of my blindness. I thanked him, promising him that I'll send him the best offering I can get when I get my sight back, and then went in the direction that Cedalion led me to."

I was pretty surprised that he had met Hephaestus. I made a mental note to myself to visit him and inquire about more of this story.

"Go on," I urged him quite eagerly.

"Cedalion tended to me as I journeyed to the east. He fed me, washed me and told me of my surroundings in detail. It was fascinating, really, to listen to him talk about how bright the stars were shining or about how the sun was rising. How the birds were chirping and how the waves crashed onto the shore. It made me realize how before, I only looked but didn't see, and it made yearn for my sight once more. It felt like heaven when, I think after a few weeks, Cedalion told me that we were now standing before the great and bright Helios. I should have known myself that we were standing before him, for I could feel a fascinating warmth radiating from a sole body."

Immediately, my mind thought of Helios, the personification and spirit of the Sun that Apollo now owned. I remembered his flowing burnt orange hair that flowed to his shoulders, his rust-colored eyes that seemed to be the same shade of the setting sun in the evening and his tall and broad body that made him so mighty and all-powerful as he rode his amber chariot.

"Kind as he was, he restored my sight with his rays of light. It was so confusing at first, when the darkness in my eyes slowly disappeared and I could see that I was standing beside a young man and in front of an inhumane one. I was dazed as I looked around and saw the sea, the dawn sky and the rosy clouds. I thought it all a dream at first, that this was something my mind was playing on me. But when I finally realized that I could really see the sun rising on the horizon and the seagulls flying freely above, I cried in joy. I fell to my knees and thanked the Titan so much."

Unknowingly, I smiled, because I was somewhat glad that Orion regained what he had missed the most. He saw my smile and smiled too.

"I went hunting immediately and was glad that my skills did not tarnish. In fact, it was just as good as ever. I hunted two wolves and skinned them off their beautiful furs. I gave one wolf skin to Helios, who accepted it graciously, while the other wolf skin I gave to Cedalion, asking him to give it to Hephaestus as I had promised. I even made the boy a dagger as a token of appreciation. That was the last time I ever saw Cedalion before I was taken away."

My eyebrows shot up immediately. "Taken away? By who?"

He pursed his lips once again and picked up a pebble off the ground. As he rolled it between his thumb and index finger, he said, "Take note that I did say it was dawn at that time."

Oh…

He shook his head lightly. "Eos was beautiful, that I could not deny. She requested that I stay with her as a lover, and I couldn't help but accept. I stayed with her for a while at her home at the edge of the Oceanus. She would watch me hunt and I would watch her bring the dawn. She pleasured me very much, that I cannot lie, but it wasn't what I truly desired."

I snorted silently as I looked away and muttered, "Then what was it that you truly desire?"

He only said one word.

"Revenge."

That made me look back at him again with a curious frown.

"I still harbored pure and seething hatred towards Oenopion and was, surprisingly, still determined to make Merope mine. I announced to Eos one day that I've decided to go back to Chios to end Oenopion once and for all. She didn't want me to. Begged me to stay and be with her, but my decision was firm. I left for Chios regardless, hearing Eos cry out for me in the distance."

Orion suddenly stopped, jumped onto his feet and rushed towards the cooking meat, which had been forgotten. I watched as he quickly picked up his dagger off the grass and hurriedly turned over the pieces. I saw that the underside of the meats was not really so burnt, meaning that it was still alright. I laughed at his panicky face, and he chuckled in embarrassment. When he had finally turned over all the pieces, he returned to my side.

"Continue?" I asked.

He nodded, and resumed his tale.

"I did reach Chios, and everyone laughed at the sight of me, thinking that I was still as blind as a bat. But when I proved them wrong by picking up a stone and accurately throwing it at a bust of their precious king, breaking it completely, they began to cower in fear. I paid them no heed and instead demanded that Oenopion come out and face me like a man. But when I forced my way into the palace, he could not be found. I realized then that he went into hiding. That dog. He took Merope with him as well. I waited for weeks for him to make an appearance, but he didn't. I got tired of waiting and wouldn't want to waste my time at that blasted island. I left Chios, unwillingly leaving that dog spared, and returned to Eos' abode. But was I in for a treat…"

"What happened?"

"The minute I walked into her grand home, I was greeted with the 'pleasant' sight of her in bed with another man."

In disgust, he spat at the ground. He stared breathing heavily, as though to try and breathe out his rage. I stayed silent and waited.

"If there is one thing you should know about me, Lady Artemis, is that I don't like to be replaced. I shouted at the Titaness in anger, demanding her answers for why she took another while I was away. She screamed at me defensively that I left her and she had her needs. I laughed at her face, reminding her of how pathetic she had been when she begged me to stay and be her little toy. How angered she was when she started to chase me away. But trust me. I don't regret saying those insults to her face. It showed her that I meant business."

So that was why he walked away from her. He felt betrayed that Eos bedded another when he wasn't in her presence. I kind of felt angered at her for doing so, despite the fact that it seemed quite typical of her.

"I'm so sorry," I said quietly.

Orion chuckled and shook his head. "Don't be," he said. "I decided to come to Crete after that, maybe to meet my mother, Euryale. But I found out that she married another and had a family of her own. It didn't feel right to just make an appearance and proclaim myself as her son. I had a feeling it would have been difficult for her to do so. I didn't know why I felt that way. Maybe all that had happened to me made me mellow slightly. I decided to not meet her, but I didn't feel like travelling again. So I settled in Crete, made this clearing my home, and lived quite a mundane life until I finally came across your path."

Then he stood up and looked down at me with a smile.

"And that concludes my tale," he said in final.

I didn't say anything. I just stayed where I was, looking up at him with a thoughtful gaze.

I looked at him, all jolly as he usually was with that cheery smile of his. It made me wonder how he could be so optimistic when many terrible things happened to him. Being blinded and being cheated on? I have never experienced those things, so I don't know whether I could see him eye-to-eye on those subjects.

But as I pondered more about it, I realized that I had been in similar situations as his. While he had used to be blinded by a wrathful king, I used to be abused by a wrathful queen that was known as Hera. And while he was betrayed by Eos when she chose another, I too was forgotten by Apollo for the attentions of his Cliantha.

It made me so surprised to realize that both of us were actually quite similar, and it made me somewhat glad to have him, who I could actually relate to.

And suddenly, I realized that since he had shared with me his deepest secrets, I no longer saw Orion as an apprentice, but as a companion and, to be honest, as a friend.

And I did not regret it.

"Lady Artemis?"

I hadn't realized that I was still staring at him until he spoke. He was looking at me with concern in his teal eyes. His eyes then became confused when I smiled at him.

"Yes, my hunter?"

Shock took over his expression then when I called him that. He was at a complete loss for words as his eyes widened. I stayed still and just smiled at him. But immediately, a happy smile appeared on his face and he then knelt before me.

"Thank you, Lady Artemis," he said in a thankful smile.

My own smile stayed on me as I rose to my full height. His eyes followed mine as he stayed kneeling. But he took my hand when I offered it to him and he kissed my knuckles.

"Please, just call me Artemis now. And let's get to that meal, shall we?"

We ate the delicious rabbit meat and the juicy fruits and drank the fresh water from the waterfall for the next hour, laughing and joking and smiling in between. And when the sun started to go down, I bade him goodbye until tomorrow, already counting the seconds until I saw him again.

* * *

Author's Note:

Okay, okay. The story seems to be going quite slow, but I'm being very concentrative about building the relationship between Artemis and Orion first. You don't expect them to fall in love right away, do you? But don't worry, because the time when the plot thickens is coming very near. I just need you all to stay with me, alright?

Anyway, about the woman named Side. In a version of the myth of Orion, Side was Orion's first wife, but she was sent to the Underworld by Hera, who was feeling threatened by Side's beauty. This is why I said that Side 'disappeared' shortly after marrying Orion.

Alright, I'm going to go bang my head against the wall now because I have to do a 15-page essay for my end-of-term exams. Bye bye guys...

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	10. Chapter 9

_**Little Affections**_

For the following days, my time with Orion became like a ritual.

Straight after breakfast, while the rest attended to their other duties and activities and Apollo went to his lover, I would make my way straight to Crete to meet up with Orion. I continued to teach him archery until he was at an intermediate level, ran with him in the forests, catch game together and maybe even spend time in his clearing laughing at each other's jokes and telling each other stories.

Athena and Hermes, the only two of my siblings who knew of Orion, would always ask me at dinner about how my day with him had gone. They were mindful to keep their voices down anytime they brought up the topic, knowing that it still wasn't known among the others.

And as promised, I brought my mother with me to Crete one day to meet him. Orion was kind, polite and mannerly towards her. She ran with us in the forest, her legs as strong as ours, and even shot a few arrows on my bow. She too complimented Orion on his politeness and his good skills, and even inquired him about how I was training him. He was completely honest when he told her that I was a good teacher to him.

"You did not let me down, my little huntress," Mother said to me. "And Orion really is a nice young man."

I would nod my head in agreement. Mother was always right.

I even showed Athena, Hermes and Mother the dagger that he gave me, and all three of them were very impressed by his craftsmanship. In addition, I even showed it to Hephaestus when I visited him at his forge and he told me more about Orion when I inquired about the tale.

Two weeks passed by and though I always make it a point to see him every day, I then realized that I was missing a certain sibling of mine, so I decided to pay her a visit. But I made my way to Crete first to tell Orion that I wasn't available today.

I went straight to his clearing, where I would usually find him waiting for me. His eyes met mine when I came into his view, but surprise took over him in an instant.

"L-Lady Artemis?" he stammered.

"Orion, I already said that you could address me by name," I reminded him with a smile. "And good day to you."

He did not return the greeting. Instead, he muttered, "You look…. Different…."

I rolled my eyes. I knew why he said I looked different. Usually, I met him dressed in a knee-length chiton and hunting boots and my hair would be tied up or braided. That was my usual hunting attire. But since I wasn't going hunting today, I decided for something more comfortable for a visit and wore a fitting one-shoulder emerald-trimmed violet dress that flowed to my ankles and golden-threaded leather sandals. I also let my wavy bistre hair fall freely down to the half of my back.

"I'm dressed like this because I'm off to visit some relatives," I informed him. "Which means that I'm not free to go hunting today. Maybe tomorrow?"

Disappointment flashed across his face for a split second before he smiled and nodded his head in understanding.

"Alright. Until tomorrow, Artemis," he said to me and waved goodbye.

I waved goodbye to him and turned to walk away. But I halted my steps when he called out, "Artemis?"

"Yes?" I asked, looking back at him.

With the smile that never seemed to leave his face, he said, "You look lovely."

I couldn't stop the smile that formed on my lips. And it was only after I had walked out of the clearing did I realize I was blushing.

* * *

I gently knocked on the wooden door of the small cottage in a secluded part of a huge forest. It was answered in just a few seconds.

The person who answered my knocks was a woman who had curly earth-yellow hair that reached the nape of her neck and a pair of serious-looking dark olive green eyes. She wore a dress of earthly brown and green shades, matching well with her appearance and her title as the Goddess of the Harvest.

Demeter met my eyes and smiled in greeting. "Artemis. What brings you here?" she asked in surprise.

I smiled back. "I just thought I'd pay you and Persephone a visit, Aunt Demeter. Mount Olympus is currently boring to me."

She chuckled lightly. "Of course. But I am currently busy at the moment. Maybe you would like to spend some time with Kore first. She's at a clearing just west of here, probably with some of her nymph friends."

I nodded my head and thanked her before making my way to the west. The breeze today was cooling and the rays of the shining sun made my skin feel warm in comfort. The flowers in my path, which I guessed Persephone must have planted and grown, were bright, colorful and sweet-smelling and the birds in the trees were chirping happily in unison.

Today was such a bright and peaceful day. It was a good thing I've decided to visit Demeter's abode. I honestly needed a change of scenery.

_I would have been with Orion right now…_ a thought appeared in my head.

Before I could question myself on why that thought appeared, I suddenly found myself in a clearing. Across the clearing, a girl stood with her back to me in front of a tree with lush green, leafy branches. Her russet hair that fell in graceful waves to her waist had colorful fully-bloomed flowers threaded into it, some as saffron yellow as the dress she wore.

I watched as she waved a hand at the tree in front of her. And from the power that radiated from that one simple gesture, even more colorful flowers were adorning the leafy branches until it was basically covered in it.

I chuckled silently. Persephone does love flowers very much. Of course she would, since she was the Goddess of Spring.

She didn't seem to be aware that I was here. All of a sudden, a mischievous idea popped up in my head. With an evil smile, I quietly crept up to her until we were just mere inches apart. She still didn't turn, being too busy admiring her work on the tree.

I stayed silent, waiting for the perfect moment. Finally, after a few tense and silent seconds, she turned around….

"BOO!"

A shrill scream escaped Persephone's lips as she fell backwards onto her bottom. Some of the flowers in her hair fell off as a result of her fall. While she looked up at me with wide frightened eyes and heaved frantic breaths, I was laughing out loud in mirth.

"Artemis!" she shouted, though a smile appeared on her lips at the same time. "You scared me!"

I forced my laughter to stop, but I couldn't stifle a few chuckles. "I know," I laughed. "It was funny, wasn't it?"

Unfortunately, I was so caught up with laughing that I failed to notice that she had willed some vines to grow around my ankles until I was suddenly lifted off my feet and hanging upside down. My laughter changed abruptly to a shriek and I began to struggle to keep the skirt of my dress from falling.

I shot a venomous look at Persephone, who was now the one to laugh out loud. Wiping a tear from her eye in between bouts of giggles and clutching her sides, she taunted, "Who's laughing now?"

I bared my teeth and snarled, "THIS ISN'T FUNNY! Persephone! Put me down right now! I'm wearing a skirt, for goodness sake!"

Suddenly, I heard a panicky voice of a woman shout from nearby. "Kore?! What's wrong?! Are you hurt?!"

Both Persephone and I turned our heads in the direction of the voice, only to find Demeter, who had appeared out of nowhere. She looked at Persephone with frantically worried eyes, then at me with completely confused ones.

"What went on here?" she asked, completely taken aback by the scene.

Persephone's amber eyes slid over to me and, with a playful smirk, she replied in a sweet voice, "Oh nothing, Mother. Artemis and I are just having some fun, that's all."

My eyes narrowed dangerously and I let out a low and deep growl like an agitated wolf. Persephone merely smirked even more.

Demeter seemed to have gotten over her panic by then, because she smiled and rolled her eyes. With a wave of her hand, the vine that trapped my ankles and hung me upside down slowly moved to put me back gently on my feet before slithering off me. My hands were gripping the skirt of my dress in bunches and I relaxed them, freeing the cloth.

"I'll be back later to call you two for lunch," Demeter said as she turned away. "I expect that you two don't play such pranks on each other again."

Persephone rolled her eyes at how her mother was advising her as though she was still a small child while I huffed at the fact that I can't get Persephone back for the vine prank.

Oh well. Guess I'll just have to let this go for once.

* * *

In the next hour, Persephone and I danced to our heart's content through the forest, picking many colorful flowers with sweet perfumes as we did. We sang songs and marveled at how the day was wonderful. Our presence attracted the attentions of some of Persephone's forest nymph companions and they joined us in our merriness.

Our playing led us to a meadow just on the outskirts of the forest and Persephone dismissed her nymphs to spend some quality time with me. We both sat down in the middle of the clearing, making jokes and talking about random things about ourselves as we took turns plaiting and braiding each other's hair, weaving in the flowers we collected as well.

As Persephone talked and braided my hair, I strangely had the urge to tell her about Orion. I don't know. Maybe because I was so used to having him around now that I felt that I wouldn't be ashamed if anyone knew. And besides, I knew that Persephone was definitely someone I could talk to about anything, and I was sure that she would keep mum about it if I asked her to keep it a secret.

"So how have your hunting been going?" she asked, turning her head behind slightly while I braided her russet hair and inserted a yellow daisy as an ornament. "Of course, I know it should be good, oh great huntress of Mount Olympus."

I smiled at her comment and replied, "Yes. It's very good. Though, lately there's been something…"

From the corner of her eye, Persephone raised a curious eyebrow. "What's been going on? Care to tell?"

As I tied a piece of twine at the tail of the braid to secure it, I pursed my lips as I slightly hesitated to tell her. I was kind of anxious to talk about Orion to anyone, except for Athena, Hermes and Mother. It was still kind of something that, even if people knew, I still wanted to keep it private. But on the other hand, I'm tired of keeping it as though it was a dangerous secret. If I told Persephone, it would be one less person to not know.

"Well…"

But before I could continue my words, the sun's light was suddenly blocked from us by something floating above. Both Persephone and I tilted our heads up at the same time to see what it was that was above us.

It wasn't what. It was _who_.

"Hello, Hermes," Persephone greeted cheerily at our flying half-brother.

He had on his winged sandals and around the crown of his head was a golden headband with a white wing atop each of his temples, which was both what he usually donned on a daily basis. In his hand was his famous silver caduceus and slung around his shoulder was a leather messenger bag full of scrolls. That meant that he must have come from his formal duties.

Hermes smiled to Persephone and me. "Hello, ladies. I actually come bearing messages for Persephone. But since you're here, Artemis, I can give your message as well."

A hand went into his bag and he produced two small scrolls, giving them to Persephone. One scroll was tied with a black ribbon with red trimmings, and her amber eyes suddenly widened in excitement. I was confused at first, while Hermes gave a knowing look.

"It's a letter from my husband, Artemis," she explained eagerly. The other scroll lay forgotten on the grass in front of her while she hurriedly pulled the ribbon loose.

Hermes then said to me, "No written message for you, but I just wanted to tell you that there's a dinner party tonight."

I nodded my head. "Noted," I told him.

Hermes nodded back and then waved us goodbye before flying off into the sky. Persephone then urged me to read her letter with her, and I did.

_Dearest Persephone_

_How have you been, my love? I know it has only been two months of summer, but I am missing you so much already. Never has there been a day where I did not miss your presence in my kingdom. How could I not miss your presence? You are forever on my mind._

_How goes your time on the world above? Are you enjoying yourself? I know very well that you are beautifying the world with your flowers of vibrant colors and sweet perfumes. I know as well that you are making the lands more alive with your light and warmth. That is what I really love most about you, beloved wife of mine. You are a true beauty, both in appearance and soul._

_I am sorry if this letter is quite short, but I just felt like interacting with you a bit. Without you, the Underworld does become quite a bore at times. Maybe I might come up to the above world and sneak a moment to be with you if I am able to chance away from my duties. That, I will be hoping very much._

_Until we see each other again, my lovely goddess._

_Your lover forever,_

_Hades_

Persephone sighed adoringly. Her bright amber eyes held love which I knew was reserved only for Hades, the God-King of the Underworld who was her husband. I found myself smiling at how in love Persephone was with him. It was actually quite a lovely thing to see.

"He is so wonderful, Artemis," she said dreamily. "A few years of marriage and I am still so very much in love with him, and he with me. I truly am blessed."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Indeed you are, Persephone."

A moment of silence ensured and I am left to ponder into my thoughts. I found myself wondering what Orion was doing right now. Was he hunting? Was he practicing archery? Was he crafting more beautiful weapons?

"What was it you wanted to tell me just now?"

I looked back at Persephone and saw the curiosity on her face. Killing out the last of the hesitation in me, I took a deep breath.

I told her everything slowly.

When I finished, she asked, "What is Orion like?"

I absentmindedly plucked a blade of grass and played it between my fingertips. After much thought, I said, "If there's one word that would describe him, it would be 'jolly'. He's always happy and smiling every time I see him, and I can't help but smile too. But yet, I don't know how he can be so optimistic after all that had happened to him in the past."

"He must have a strong spirit," Persephone mused. And then, she asked, "But aren't you worried because of the fact that he's a giant? Okay, he may be mortal-sized, but he's still hails from a race of giants. Remember your encounter with-"

"Please don't bring that up," I cut her off immediately, frowning as the bitter memory of _them _threatened to reappear. "I really don't want to talk about it."

Persephone bit her lip and murmured guiltily, "I'm sorry, Artemis."

"It's alright. But to answer your question; no, I don't feel afraid of him. He's… different."

She nodded thoughtfully as she ran a hand through the grass. Out of the silence, I asked quietly, "What do you think?"

She lifted her head to look at me in the eyes and asked, "Do you like spending time with him?"

Her question made me think about it. To my surprise, I found the answer in just a few seconds flat.

"Yes. I do."

With a smile, she then said, "Then enjoy your time with him. That is what's important."

Looking off into the distance, I smiled at Persephone's advice. It was small, but it really was the right words.

"He said I looked lovely today," I said absentmindedly with a smile, still looking off into the distance.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her smile turning bigger.

* * *

The dinner party that night was like any other ordinary dinner, except that there was music from Eutrepe the Muse of Song and the presence of close family members who resided on the mortal lands and the sea, which would be Hades, Persephone, Demeter and Poseidon. Hades was not able to make it, much to Persephone's disappointment and Demeter's relief, and Poseidon brought Amphitrite, his Nereid wife and queen.

As usual, I took a seat beside Apollo, who did in fact make a presence at the dinner. But despite me sitting beside him from the start of the whole dinner, the only time he acknowledged me was just to say 'hi' when he walked into the dining hall. Since then, he only conversed about _Cliantha _(I said the name really poisonously in my mind) with Ares and Dionysus, who were both intent on hearing about his time with her.

I felt my irritation flare dangerously and I huffily ate my dinner. Athena, who sat on my other side, would occasionally hold onto my forearm to calm me down. I was thankful that she cared when Apollo didn't, but it wasn't enough to kill out the fire of rage.

"I hate it," I whispered harshly to her as I rigorously cut up a piece of roasted pheasant. "He's just treating me as though I'm invisible. I hate it so much."

"I know, Artemis. I know," she said soothingly to try and calm me down.

"I hate it," I said again, and then began to chant it several times. "I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I-"

"Artemis?"

In an instant, I stopped sawing at my pheasant, also realizing that I could nearly have sawed through the plate itself, and looked up in the direction of the voice. I was confused when I saw that it was Poseidon who was speaking to me.

"Yes, Lord Poseidon?" I answered in a polite tone, trying hard to extinguish the anger that burned in my heart.

The next words he said to me only made my heart skip a beat.

"So I heard you are spending time with my son, Orion."

* * *

Author's Note:

PANICKING PANICKING PANICKING PANICKING PANICKING PANICKING...

WHY AM I PANICKING? MY FINAL YEAR EXAMS ARE STARTING TOMORROW. IF I DON'T GET AN OVERALL PASS, I'D BE FORCED TO STAY BACK A GRADE.

Wish me luck please...

Anyway, on a (slightly) brighter note, OH! POSEIDON KNOWS ABOUT IT!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	11. Chapter 10

_**The Truth Is Revealed**_

When the question was asked, I felt as though time had come to a standstill. Even everyone around me stopped whatever they were doing to listen to this _interesting _conversation. The only sound I could her was the clanking of my silverware on the table when I dropped them.

As I stared at Poseidon with wide eyes and a slightly gaped mouth, his sea green eyes became curious, and his eyebrows were raised. "Well?" he asked. "Are you spending time with my son?"

_Why? _I thought to myself with a rapidly-beating heart. _Why of all times to bring this topic up, it had to be now?_

Oh yeah, I know why; Poseidon didn't know that Orion was a kind-of 'secret' of mine. He thought that he was simply speaking as though it held no value of importance. Oh, how wrong he was!

I really didn't know what to say. At this point, all eyes were on me, waiting for me to say something. I could feel the eyes of Hermes, Athena and Persephone – the only people in this entire dining hall who knew - locked on me anxiously as though I had come to a dead end with no ways of escaping.

Unfortunately, I could even feel the stare that came from the sky blue eyes of the god beside me.

"How did you know?" That was the only words that slipped out through my lips.

My uncle gave a knowing smile and answered, "He comes to the beach and speaks to me about his day with you each night. He talks about his hunts with you and the topics which you two converse about. From the looks of it, it seems that he really does enjoy your company very much."

Hearing that helped to suddenly make me recall the fact that Orion loved to live near the sea so that he may speak to his father. But I was completely taken aback when I only now discovered that he actually talked to him about _me_. I was now wondering how long he had been doing it and what exactly was he saying about me.

But unfortunately, before I could answer Poseidon's question, a new question was asked. A question that made me feel as though I really and truly had no escape now.

"Who's Orion?"

Damn it all. I tried to swallow the lump that suddenly formed in my throat as I turned my head to Apollo, whose gaze was now entirely focused on me with a confused frown.

_So the moment of truth has begun._ I thought to myself in dismay and silently gulped in worry. _Those wasted efforts of keeping it from him…_

But suddenly, before I could answer my brother's question, it was another voice that answered it for me. And it was the voice of a goddess who I thought would be the last person who would know about all this.

"Oh, he's Artemis' new hunter. He's a good one, if I do say so myself."

I tore my eyes from the sky blue eyes of my brother to the icy blue ones of Aphrodite, who was smiling cheerily. As I looked at her in confusion, I was trying to figure out how in Tartarus she knew. I know very well that I have not spoken even a word about Orion to her, since I didn't intend for her to know in the first place. That meant that she must have gained that knowledge by her own means. But the problem is; how did she do it?

Did she eavesdrop on one of my conversations about Orion?

Did she spy on me?

Did she….

No.

She couldn't have done it. She couldn't have planned the whole thing to happen in the first place. She couldn't have planned the meeting between me and Orion. She couldn't have.

But if she did, then there will damn well be ichor to clean up when I'm done with her.

Aphrodite turned her eyes to me and her smile became bigger. Under the table, my hands clenched into tight fists and trembled fervently as I suppressed my anger. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Apollo was still looking at me with the expression that said he had caught me red-handed. An expression which showed that he had found out about something that he should have known but didn't. It was an expression that showed slightly he felt… betrayed.

Poseidon, who did not notice the respective exchanges between me and Aphrodite and me and Apollo, suddenly smiled proudly and exclaimed boastfully, "Of course he is! Since young, the skill has always been with him. A great hunter that has made his name well-known throughout the mortal realms! Truly a great feat for a son of mine!"

From her seat beside him, kind, sweet and quiet Amphitrite smiled gently at her husband's pride of his son. But she wasn't the only one to smile. I did too.

But that smile of mine only made Apollo frown even more.

His look of disbelief, confusion and betrayal did not falter from his face. "How long has this been going on?" he questioned me, his tone clearly showcasing his intent to get the whole story out of my mouth. I turned to him then and looked at him with my own frown.

I will admit that at the moment, my annoyance and anger towards him were at full force. Here he was, instigating me as though I had committed a terrible crime. But need I remind him that it had been _weeks _since he last paid attention to me? It made me want to scold him to keep out of my business and just stay in his own.

But then again, I couldn't fully blame him for being a busybody. I of course knew why he was feeling like this; Apollo did not take too well to being kept out of things, especially things concerning me.

But still, that didn't give him the right to demand for an answer immediately.

I looked away from him when it was Zeus this time who spoke to me. From the head of the table, where he sat next to Hera, he asked, "So pray tell, Artemis. How is this son of Poseidon faring as a hunter of yours?"

Clearing my throat and picking up my silverware again, I answered calm and collectedly, "He is very mighty with his club of stone and iron. I too am mentoring him in archery. He is excelling in that, though he still is quite not so swift with the bow and arrow."

Chuckling, Zeus turned to Poseidon and said tauntingly, "See? There is one thing that this son of yours is not quite excelling at." At seeing Poseidon frown and grumble, he added in a nicer tone, "But don't fret, for he has a great huntress as his teacher to improve in his skill."

At that, Poseidon seemed to cheer up a bit. Then the conversation went on from Orion to another topic. But for the rest of the dinner, I was absolutely fully aware of Apollo's stares of suspicion and Aphrodite's smirks.

* * *

I got into action the very minute dinner ended.

Right when Zeus stood up and called it a night with a satisfied smile and belly, I spontaneously shot up from my chair, consequently attracting all eyes to me once again, ran around the table to the other side, grabbed Aphrodite off her chair and pulled her out of the dining hall with me.

She yelped in shock when I first laid my hand on her, but she didn't fight back and instead willingly let herself be pulled away by me. I was all serious business with a frown and pursed lips as I pulled her into the palace, through some corridors and into a vacant room.

When I pushed her in and slammed and locked the door shut, I snapped my fingers and a glowing ball of white flames appeared in my fingertips. I let it go and allowed it to float to the middle of the ceiling, thus illuminating the whole room. When everything was bright, I turned to her.

"There has better be a good reason for you to kidnap me," Aphrodite commented haughtily as she flicked her knee-length platinum blonde hair over her shoulder and brushed away invisible dust from her flowing navy blue dress. "If you didn't know, I don't like to be handled in such a way."

I completely ignored what she said and immediately questioned, "How did you know?"

She raised a perfect eyebrow and asked, "How did I know what?"

Baring my teeth back defensively like a wild animal, I growled, "Don't act dumb with me, Aphrodite! How did you know about Orion?"

Finally realizing the question, she replied with a giggle, "Oh, Artemis. He has an incredibly handsome face. How could I possibly not take notice of Orion? I've heard of and seen him many times before you even met him."

In a flash, I dropped my menacing demeanor and my expression changed to one of slight shock and discomfort. As I continued staring at her, I cringed inwardly at the thought of Aphrodite taking notice of Orion, and maybe even….

"Did you ever…." I found myself unable to finish the question, because I just couldn't bear the thought of Aphrodite having Orion in her bed before. I was at a risk of suffering a migraine if I ever found out he had her before.

Aphrodite raised her eyebrow slightly and asked cheekily, "Are you jealous, Artemis?"

I immediately shook my head dismissively and replied, "No! I just don't like to hear about either his or your conquests. It ruins my mind."

She rolled her icy blue eyes dramatically. "Oh, calm down, Artemis! There's nothing for you to get so worked up about!" she exclaimed as she took a few steps towards me. Then, with a snort, she added, "Besides, I never actually slept with him. I do not take any of Eos' leftovers. I do have standards, you know."

Thank goodness for her ever-continuous hatred of Eos. I remained impassive on the outside, but on the inside, I gave a short sigh of utter relief.

And then I returned to my main order of business.

Instantly, I became serious once again and asked, "So you saw me with him?"

While studying her perfect nails, she nodded. "Yes, I did. A few times since you first met him. Came to be quite a surprise actually, but it's definitely an interesting sight to see. But to be honest, you were the last person to come to mind as someone Orion would spend time with. And I thought you wouldn't take him as a hunter because he wasn't pure, since you prefer the pure ones."

"I didn't want to in the first place," I quietly admitted to her, folding my arms and looking down at the clean marble floor. "But… he's different. Don't ask me why or in what way, but he just is."

That seemed to attract Aphrodite's interest, for she now locked her eyes on me with a curious smile. "It seems to me that you really like having him around, Artemis. I really do wonder why."

I looked up and shot her a poisonous glare, warning her to not get the wrong ideas. "You had nothing to do with any of this, right? Because I swear that if you do, I'll-"

Aphrodite raised both her hands immediately as a gesture of innocence. "I swear upon the river Styx that I did not have anything to do with any business you have with this demigod. And besides, I'm completely powerless against you. That was what Zeus decreed when you were three years old."

She was right about the last part. I remembered my third birthday clearly, sitting on Zeus' lap with him sitting on his gold throne. I remembered how he listened attentively to me as I told him my desired wishes. I remembered the last wish I made, which was to remain a virgin forever. He granted all my wishes, but made an exception for the last one.

The exception was that I would be completely immune to Aphrodite's love charms, but I would still be able to act upon my own feelings and decided to no longer be a virgin if I ever felt like it.

"Artemis?"

I looked up and realized that Aphrodite was standing right in front of me. Now, she looked at me curiously with her head tilted to the side.

"Who is Orion to you?" she asked slowly.

I stared at her blankly, not knowing why she was asking me such a thing. I don't know what she meant by that, but I answered nonetheless.

"He's just a friend," I answered incredulously.

She seemed dissatisfied at my answer, judging by the way her pale pink lips pursed in dismay. But she nodded nonetheless and then walked away from me. I remained where I was as I listened to her unlocking the doors with her own powers.

"Oh, Artemis?"

With a deep breath, I turned around to face her, seeing her pause with one hand on the door handle and one foot out of the room.

"What?"

With a cocky smirk and a mischievous glint in her icy blue eyes, she said, "I'll promise not to eavesdrop anymore."

And after saying those words, she left the room, leaving me to roll my eyes to myself.

* * *

I was in my room, sitting on the large sill of the opened glass-less windows and polishing my arrows, when I heard a knocking on my door.

"Yes?" I called out. But there was no reply.

Huffing slightly, I put down my arrows and the cloth and got off the sill, unlocking the golden doors as I walked toward it. With steadiness, I opened it slightly.

On the other side, Apollo stood there, his eyes locking onto mine immediately.

"Who's Orion?" he interjected the question immediately before I could say anything.

I felt my heart skip a beat then. I focused on his eyes and realized that they were still in the same confused frown as they had been during the dinner. And by the looks of it, it seemed as though the look had never left his face in the first place.

I didn't say anything at first. I just simply opened the door wider, allowing him to come inside, before shutting it again.

He stopped right in front of the bed and turned around to face me with folding arms that signaled his demand. "Well?" he pressed, his tone now a bit impatient. "Are you going to tell me who he is and how you got to know him? All which you never told me from the very beginning?"

Sighing in frustration, I replied in one breath, "He's a son of Poseidon and he is a giant the size of a mortal. I met him when I went hunting at Crete that day and took him in as an apprentice. There, does that satisfy your question?"

His eyes became wide with disbelief. "No," he exclaimed frustratingly. "A giant? Artemis, are you serious? And you met him at Crete? You never said a word about him when I asked you how it was that day! You mean to tell me that this has been going on for three weeks?"

I crossed my arms and shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't think it was so important that you should know about it."

Anger and annoyance started to show on his face then. "Of course, it's important! Not only are you hunting with a _man_, you're also hunting with a giant! Did you not learn from last time?"

I shuddered as that bitter memory flashed in my mind. Instinctively, my hand shot to the thigh of my left leg, my mind recalling how on that day, that very limb had been grabbed to pull me into Tartarus by….

Suddenly, Apollo's hands gently gripped my shoulders. I gasped at the sudden closeness between me and him, but calmed down quickly when I saw the worry and guilt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I shouldn't have brought that up."

I shook my head lightly. "It's alright," I muttered in reply.

He let go of me then and I moved to sit on the edge of my bed. Apollo stayed where he was, still looking at me with eyes full of questions. I watched as he crossed his arms and started to pace aimlessly in front of the bed.

"Why did you do it?"

I raised an eyebrow in question. "Why did I do what?"

"Let him join your hunt," he said. "You never let men join your hunt. And I can be damn well sure that since this is a son of Poseidon we are talking about, he is not a virgin."

Twiddling my thumbs, I replied quite defiantly, "Yes, you're right. He isn't a virgin. But he proved that he had hunting skills which he excelled in. I took him into my hunt because he proved himself worthy of becoming a hunter of mine, regardless of whether tainted or not."

"It's one of your rules," he pointed out in retaliation. "It's one of your rules that a hunter of yours must be pure."

I snorted dismissively, "I am the one who sets the rules of the hunt, and I can change it if I ever see fit."

Apollo was at loss for words then, because he knew that what I said was absolutely right. The hunt belonged to me, and I can change it to fit my liking. And if I say I want Orion to be a part of my hunt, then it will happen no matter what, regardless of what others thought.

With nothing else to argue about, Apollo huffed and just stared with a frown at a wall. I took the moment to stand from my bed and walk over to him, asking him, "Why are you so troubled by it, Apollo? It's been three weeks and I am still fine."

When I finally stood by his side, he exhaled a deep breath and said, "Are you sure-"

Before he could finish whatever he wanted to say, I held up a hand to stop him. "Hush. Do not worry over this matter so much. I'm fine and everything's going to be fine. I can take care of myself. You know that."

Apollo nodded his head then, agreeing with my statement. "I know you can take care of yourself, Artemis." Then, he gave a small smile, though it didn't seem to touch his eyes.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't get so worried over this," he said quietly.

I agreed with him with a nod, and then told him to get some sleep. He commented that he did in fact feel slightly tired from the day (hmmm….I _really _wonder why…), and turned to leave the room. I bade him goodnight before I shut the door.

When the door shut, I leaned my back against it and let out a big breath of relief.

Now that the truth was out, there was no need for the tension of keeping it to myself any longer.

* * *

Author's Note:

Alright! Finally all of you got the chapter that you've been waiting for!

So, this is the end of my first week of exams. Next week is the second week, and I am really studying my butt off for it. In the meantime, I am continuing to write more chapters for _Promises _in-between. Anyway, I need all of your opinions for this.

For those of you who read my most reviewed fanfiction _**The** **Reincarnation**_, you know how the story goes. (For those of you who haven't, please do read it if you wish!) Anyway, I have an idea to describe the life of the Olympians, including Hestia, Hades and Persephone, in modern times. Each of their stories would be one chapter, but put together would be one chaptered fanfiction. So what do you think of the idea?

Until Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	12. Chapter 11

**_Apollo Finds Out_**

The sun was shining brightly as I made my way through the cluster of trees to Orion's clearing. The birds were chirping and the breeze was soft and gentle. Strangely, that was how the day always seemed to be whenever I'm off to see him.

As always, it was the distinct rushing sound of the waterfall that indicated I was nearing the clearing. In just a few seconds, I reached the checkpoint which were the various fruit trees and saw the entrance to the clearing up ahead.

But it came to be an actual surprise when I found the clearing empty.

"Orion?" I called out. "Orion, where are you?"

There was no reply and I became more curious and slightly confused. He would have usually been waiting here for me without fail, so I wondered why today was an exception. I started to walk around the clearing, trying to find any signs that he could have been here a while ago. Strangely, when I concentrated on finding his aura, it was still very strong. As though he was still here.

"Good day to you, Artemis!"

I turned around at the sudden outburst of his voice and looked up to find Orion standing on the branch of a tree, with one hand grabbing onto a thinner branch above him and the other one holding his wooden bow and the strap of his leather quiver of arrows.

He leap down from the branch he was on smoothly, his hunting boots making a muted _thud _sound as he landed on both his feet on the grass. His messy bronze hair had small leaves stuck in it, which he was now getting rid of by running his fingers through them.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," he apologized, still continuing to ruffle leaves out of his hair with his hand. "I was sitting on the highest branch and waiting for a flying bird to shoot down, and I guess I must have fallen asleep. But thankfully, the sound of your voice woke me up from my slumber. Though I nearly fell off the branch!"

As he laughed, I spoke of a pressing matter.

"A certain father of yours tells me that you've been talking about me to the sea each night."

Orion froze in an instant, his laughter cut off quickly and his teal green eyes widening in anxiety. His expression looked as though he had just been found guilty of a crime and had no escape. And then, I noticed that his cheeks were slowly turning a very faint shade of red, signifying that he was feeling embarrassed that I knew.

"Does that anger you?" he asked nervously in a small voice, like a little child afraid of getting punished for a simple, honest mistake.

I looked at him and saw just how afraid he was. I didn't know why he was afraid, seeing that I was not even one bit unhappy with it.

Without a word, I took a step towards him, now standing right in front of him, and began plucking the leaves out of his hair slowly. He lowered his hands to his sides and kept quiet, his eyes intent on me, waiting for me to say something.

"It doesn't anger me, Orion," I told him calmly with my eyes looking at his now while my hands still plucked leaves. "I'm just surprised that you talked to your father about me each night. He says that you seem to enjoy my company."

"I do enjoy your company," he said slightly defensively to state his case.

I giggled and took a step back when I was sure there were no more leaves in his hair. And then, I folded my arms on my chest and said with a slight frown, "But if there are any bad things, I do hope that you didn't take it into exaggeration."

Realizing that he was safe and not in trouble, he sighed in relief and chuckled, "With you, Artemis, I can never find a flaw to be spoken about."

I sensed no lie in his words. It made me smile.

* * *

Today, she had to leave early to help prepare a dinner for her father.

Apollo watched as Cliantha, his Oceanid lover with the beautiful emerald hair that fell straight to her knees, bright green-blue eyes and skin as pale as white sand, waved goodbye to him from a distance across the beach of Thassos. In the distance, he could see the rest of her Oceanid sisters, who were all waiting for her to join them.

He waved back until she was finally out of sight before commanding his steeds to fly his golden chariot back to Mount Olympus. How long he had not been spending his afternoon there, he wondered. It certainly felt quite a bit strange to be back so early, but did not fret about it so much. Instead, he began to think of all the things he could do today.

An idea hit him then, and he decided that today he shall accompany Artemis to go hunting. To be honest, he had missed hunting with his sister. He remembered how they would have fun all day, just with each other's company. How they would laugh and joke and, if he can get her to do it, dance and sing merrily. But lately, they haven't been doing so for the past few weeks, but he wished for the activity to return once again.

When he finally rode through the gates of Mount Olympus, he left his chariot at the courtyard, leaving his horses secured to it, as he went inside to find his sister. Surely she must be here if she did not go hunting. And if she were out, surely any of the others knew where she went.

Apollo went straight to her room first and knocked on the golden doors. "Artemis?" he called out. "Are you in there, sister?"

No answer.

"Artemis?" he called out again, knocking slightly harder this time. "Artemis?"

Still no answer.

_She must either be with the others or off to an island. I'll found out. _he thought to himself.

He then ventured to other parts of the palace and asked anyone who passed by – be it a nymph, satyr or another deity – if they had seen his sister. All of them shook their heads, telling him that they've not seen her at all.

Apollo began to get curious. _Where is she? _he wondered. He was determined to spend the day with her, wanting to make up for the past few weeks that he was not in her company. Yes, he had realized that he had not been spending time with Artemis, but the beautiful Cliantha was truly difficult to turn away from.

Suddenly, he heard laughter coming from a nearby room. He realized that the room was the lounge, and that the familiar laughter was from none other than Hermes.

_He should know. _Apollo thought. If his sister was not with him, she was sure to be with Hermes.

He made his way to the lounge and entered immediately. There, he saw Hermes, who was floating in the air, laughing with Leto at a joke shared between the two of them. Nearby, Athena was reading a scroll quietly on a chair and close to her on a chaise was Dionysus, who was enjoying another chalice of liquor.

All four of them looked up the minute the Sun God entered, and all looked completely surprised to see him.

"My son," Leto greeted with a warm but surprised smile. "You're back rather early today."

"Yeah," Dionysus commented with the rim of his chalice on his lips. "Quite unusual."

Apollo looked sheepish when he realized that the others too had been noticing his absence from the palace in the afternoon for the past few weeks. "She had something to do today," he told them, not further explain who 'she' was since he was sure all of them knew by now. "So I came back."

Returning to focusing on the words on her scroll and not looking at him, Athena asked with a raised eyebrow and a skeptic tone, "So you only came back because she couldn't spend time with you?"

For some reason, Athena's words kind of got to Apollo. Was she implying that he would only come back to spend time with them when his lover couldn't? Was she implying that, in some way, he was being selfish?

"Athena," his mother said in a slight disapproving tone. "Don't think of it in that way. Surely Apollo came back for a reason as well."

Apollo smiled in relief at the luck that his mother was there to side him.

"Indeed I came back here for a reason," he said. "Has any of you seen Artemis? I wish to go hunting with her."

"She's not on Mount Olympus right now," Hermes informed him. "She's at Crete with Orion."

At that moment, Apollo frowned.

Artemis was with _Orion_? That demigod? The one who she had allowed to join her hunt despite the fact that he was a giant and a non-virgin? For some reason, Apollo felt a twinge of irritation at the mention of his sister with that man, despite the fact that he had never met him before.

"And what is she doing with him?" he questioned further, his voice now intent and serious.

Hermes shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Probably hunting again, I suppose. Lately, she's always going to Crete every day to see him."

At first, Apollo groaned inwardly at the thought of her hunting with _him _again, but suddenly, his eyes widened in disbelief when he caught on to the last thing Hermes said.

"You knew?" he questioned Hermes in shock.

Hermes then looked taken aback, his spring green eyes now full of confusion. "Knew what?" he asked, truly clueless of what he was being accused of.

His voice still full of disbelief, Apollo questioned again, "You knew that she's been spending time with the son of Poseidon for these past few weeks?"

Athena, who had yet to move her eyes from the words on her scroll, nodded her head. "I knew as well. She told me and Hermes when she first started hunting with him. She describes him as being good company," she explained.

Staring at Athena with wide eyes, Apollo absolutely could not believe what he was hearing. His younger half-brother and older half-sister knew all about Artemis spending time with this Orion, but yet he didn't?

"She told the three of you, but she didn't tell me?" he exclaimed, his tone failing to hide the hint of betrayal that was growing inside him.

Dionysus shook his head. "Nope. I didn't know until yesterday," he told him informatively and nonchalantly as he sipped his liquor. "But what's so important about it anyway? Just think of it as Artemis making a new friend. That's it."

Leto, who noticed that her son was nearing the breaking point, made a move from her chair to calm him down. "Apollo, there is no need to feel that way. It's just that the two of them were there at the right place at the right time to be told. And besides, do not worry about your sister with Orion. I've met him and he is a very nice young man."

What his mother said did _not_ make Apollo feel better. In fact, it made him feel slightly worse.

"You knew as well, Mother?" he exclaimed in disbelief even more, his eyes now flickering with slight anger. "And you say that you have also met this giant demigod? But yet, you did not tell me?"

Leto was now getting worried and slightly frightened of Apollo's rising temper. "It did not occur to me as important," she said to her son quietly and gently. "It is just your sister hunting with a new member of her hunt. It does not seem like anything out of the ordinary."

With a sudden flare in temper, he cried out in outrage, "It _is _something out of the ordinary, Mother! This is my _sister_ hunting with a non-virgin man! She never allows non-virgins into her hunt! Why is this one an exception? And the fact that she did not even has the audacity to tell me, and none of you even thought of telling me, is preposterous!"

"Oh, calm down, Apollo," Athena, who had only now put down her scroll and was looking at him disapprovingly, chastised. "Nothing happened to your sister. It's been three weeks since she started hunting with Orion and everything's still fine and normal."

Hermes, whose feet were now touching the ground, nodded his head to show that he agreed with Athena. And then, with crossed arms, he snorted, "Besides, you weren't anywhere around her for these past few weeks. How exactly was she going to tell you?"

Apollo felt the full blow of Hermes' words. He knew that what the Messenger God was saying was the absolute truth, but still it felt uncomfortable for him to hear it. He knew Hermes was right with that fact, but he just didn't like it to be rubbed into his face.

Eyeing everyone in absurdity, especially his mother who was approaching him with outstretched arms with intentions to comfort and calm him down, he backed away slowly before turning and leaving the room in a huff.

_Why am I angry? _he wondered, stomping back to his room. He really did not know the exact reason, but it was all because of what his sister was doing. Was it because she never even told him? Was it because Artemis was spending time with a giant, who he still considered as evils? Or was it because she had allowed a man to join her hunt?

The answer was simple; it was all three reasons.

It's been three weeks, and she told Hermes, Athena and Mother, but not him. He knew it wasn't purely out of forgetfulness. He knew it was intentional.

_She always tells me things. She always does. But why didn't she tell me about this? _

And he felt wary of Artemis spending time with a giant, especially after her encounter with two just a few years back.

_She might get herself into trouble again. She might. This giant may be planning to hurt her and she would be too foolish to realize it._

And most importantly, since she was a virgin goddess, spending time with a non-virgin man that was not a kin to her was supposedly ruled as a taboo for her.

_What's so special this Orion that caused Artemis to accept him, a non-virgin, into her hunt? Artemis is strict with her rules regarding chastity. She wouldn't simply change it for anyone, especially _him_._

Apollo felt a bundle of nerves inside him. All at one time, he was very confused and angered. A thought came to his mind suddenly.

_What secret is she hiding from me?_

He pressed his lips into a thin line in intent. Under his breath, he muttered lowly, "Perhaps it's about time I meet Orion for myself."

* * *

After hours of running after game, tracking them down like the fearsome predators we are, we finally took a break and sat beside each other on the trunk of a fallen tree, catching our breaths and looking all around us. Orion was breathing a bit too heavily, and I guess that it must be because I've been running too fast for his taste.

I felt sorry for him and conjured up two cups of water for both of us. I gave one to him and he gave me a tired smile of thanks before gulping the water thirstily.

"I didn't think I was running that fast," I said nonchalantly before sipping my water.

He snorted and exclaimed, "Oh please! You run faster than a mountain lion! How exactly am I going to catch up with you?"

I chuckled in mirth. "My apologies, Orion. I'll be mindful to slow down for you."

He rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. The next few minutes were then spent in silence, because Orion was still too breathless to speak. I remained silent as well, but I was alright with it. The silence between us wasn't awkward. Instead, it felt companionable and comfortable.

"My father told you yesterday?" he suddenly asked out of the blue.

I nodded my head almost immediately, as though I was anticipating that question. "Yes. Over dinner with the other Olympians. I will admit to you that I was nervous when he asked the question, what's more in front of the others."

Quirking an eyebrow, he asked, "Why? Do the other deities not know of me?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Oh, most of them know you because of Eos, but they were at complete surprise to know that I, out of all people, would be spending time with you. I hadn't told anyone except a few."

"Why?" he pressed, his tone questionable. "Is your spending time with me a problem to them?"

I shook my head defiantly. "Not because of that. They just didn't think I would hunt with a non-virgin. But I don't care what they think. I can hunt with you for as long as I like if I wish to."

Orion smiled at my words. "I'm glad for that, Artemis. To be honest, it gets lonely in Crete for me sometimes. If I didn't meet you, I would have been bored and friendless for the rest of my days. And I'm alright if you don't want to make our friendship known."

I gave him a smile back and sipped my water again. "I'm glad to know that. To tell you the truth, I do prefer to keep our 'being friends' as private . Only a few people know. I told them because I know that they can be trusted and wouldn't be so affected by it."

Orion wanted to say something then, but a voice from the trees cut him off.

"Which doesn't include me, I suppose."

I felt my heart skip a beat as I whipped my head to the right, in the direction of the voice. When I turned, my mind shouted mentally in panic, _No, no, no! He can't be here! He can't be!_

Instantly, my midnight blue eyes met the sky blue ones of my twin brother, who was emerging from the trees.

But Apollo was not looking at me.

His sights were focused completely on Orion.

Damn it.

* * *

Author's Note:

_A little scene that happened in the middle of writing this_ _chapter_.

Me: (sitting at my desk typing out the scene where Apollo flips out)

13-year-old Cousin (visiting): (standing behind and watching me type like a maniac) What story are you writing this time? (She knows I'm a fanfiction author)

Me: The story of Orion and Artemis

Cousin: Artemis is the hunting goddess, right?

Me: Yeap

_silence _

_silence_

_silence_

Cousin: You know what?

Me: What?

Cousin: I keep on seeing Artemis as Taylor Swift

Me: (stop typing, turned my head and looked at my cousin with a weirded-out face and a raised eyebrow)

Cousin: ... What?

Me: You wanna go grab lunch now?

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	13. Chapter 12

_**The Meeting**_

"Apollo!" I exclaimed in complete shock as I shot up into a standing position from the trunk I was sitting on. "What are you doing here?"

Of course, I had never expected Apollo to make a sudden appearance. For the past few weeks, he had been so busy being in the company of his lover that I was so sure that he wouldn't start looking for me. But at that very moment, I cursed myself for being _too_ sure that he wouldn't.

I could hear my hunter getting to his feet behind me as Apollo nonchalantly strolled closer to me, a raised brow and a smile on his face, though the smile didn't look like one of cheeriness or normalcy. "I tried to find you at the palace, but you weren't there. Who knew _Hermes_ would know where you would be?" he mused in a sing-song tone.

I gulped quietly, taking notice of the way he emphasized greatly on Hermes' name and drawled his explanation slightly to make it seem very dramatic. I knew then that he found out that Hermes knew before him, and I knew very well that he wasn't taking the fact well.

I attained a calm and collected facade, clearing my throat and changing my posture to give myself a stance of nonchalance. "So, you found me," I said with a small smile. "Is there anything you wanted?" I asked.

Now standing right in front of me, towering over me by a few inches, he coolly replied, "I just wanted to spend the day with my sister, and maybe even meet this hunter of yours that everyone's been hearing about."

His eyes moved to Orion, who was standing very still right behind me. I turned my head to find him staring at Apollo with wide eyes and a slightly parted mouth, looking nervous at being in the presence of a god. I motioned with my eyes for him to get out of his stupor and act properly in front of my twin. He caught on immediately and knelt and bowed his head to Apollo in respect.

"I greet you, great Phoebus Apollo - Lord of the Sun, the Great Musician, the All-seeing and the blessed Healer. Truly, it is an honor " he said, every word of his sentence sounding honorable. He remained kneeling when I turned to look back at Apollo.

The corner of his lips was raised slightly in a smirk, and he motioned with his hand from Orion to stand. "Rise, hunter of my sister, and let me be the one who will make an acquaintance with you," he said politely.

On command, Orion rose to his full height. Apollo's sky blue eyes assessed him from head to toe, his own height mirroring Orion's. Orion stood still with his eyes down, but I could feel the nervousness radiating from him. It made me take a step closer to him, only to be stopped by my brother's voice.

"Indeed, you are a son of Poseidon," Apollo suddenly said knowingly. "I can tell by the green in your eyes and the aura that radiates from you."

Orion smiled and nodded his head. "That is what Artemis told me as well."

Apollo's eyes shot to me and my own pair met his immediately.

'_Artemis'? _he said to me through telepathy with a raised questionable eyebrow.

_I dropped the use of my title towards him. He is allowed to refer to me by name._

_I see._

Then his eyes moved back to Orion and asked, "So what were the two of you doing before I got here?"

"We were taking a break from hunting, Lord Apollo," Orion answered him. "You can join us if you wish to."

I inwardly groaned at that moment. I was honestly not entirely comfortable with the fact that both my brother and hunter were in each other's presence and of the idea of sitting with both them. I was still wary of how Apollo might act and I was worried for Orion to act properly in front of him.

"Yes," Apollo said with his stuck smile. "I think I will join you."

He then proceeded to take a seat on the tree trunk and pulled me gently by the hand so that I sat with him as well. I complied, keeping my eyes on Orion as he now sat on the ground, right beside my legs. He looked quite nervous and I gave him a reassuring smile for confidence. He smiled back in thanks.

I then turned to Apollo and inquired, "So what brings you here to Crete, Apollo? I thought you were going to spend another day with Cliantha."

The smile on his lips dropped and he looked away somewhat sheepishly. "She had to be off early because she had to prepare for a dinner for her father. I had nothing to do," he answered me. "And so I thought I could spend the day with you."

I raised a brow at him incredulously. So he only wanted to spend the day with me just because _she _couldn't? Oh, how sweet… NOT.

"And Hermes told you that I was here?" I asked. I wasn't sure exactly why Hermes had told Apollo. Could it have been because he thought that since everyone knew, there was no point in hiding, or did Apollo force the answer out of him?

He nodded. "When I asked, he told me." Then, he added with a grimace, "Athena and Mother knew as well."

Damn it.

"They even told me that you come here every day, without fail," he continued on. His eyes flashed to Orion and asked, "How is my sister, Orion? I hope she does not take it too tough on you during your hunts."

With a polite smile, Orion replied, "Your sister does not take it too tough on me at all. She is a good teacher and companion to me. And might I add that she's also kind enough to teach me in her ways of archery, and has even given me a set of bow and arrows as my own."

I watched as Apollo's eyes widened and his eyebrows pulled slightly in a barely-there frown. "You gave him a bow and arrows?" he questioned as his eyes shot back to me.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded my head. I turned to Orion and instructed him, "Show him the bow and arrows I gave you."

With a nod, Orion took the wooden bow and quiver of arrows, which were both lying on the ground behind him, and presented it to Apollo. My brother's sky blue eyes widened slightly more in realization.

"Isn't this the bow and arrows that Hephaestus gave you?" he asked.

I nodded. "Don't you think he will mind if you gave it to him?" Apollo questioned with a frown.

"Oh, he doesn't mind," I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. "He knows that I have given this set to Orion and he said it himself that he doesn't mind."

"So even Hephaestus knows of him," he murmured lowly under his breath.

I stiffened and replied defensively, "Hephaestus knows Orion even before I met him. They have crossed paths with each other once and Hephaestus did him a great favor that saved his life."

"Indeed, he has," Orion said gratefully. "If you see Hephaestus, tell him I said thank you for creating such a beautiful bow and this fine set of arrows. It works perfectly." I turned back to Orion with a smile and nodded my head. "Will do," I told him.

"Is that your name?"

Orion looked up at Apollo quizzically. "I'm sorry?"

With a pointing of his index finger at the bottom of the bow's arrow rest, Apollo asked again, "Is that your name engraved on the wood?"

Orion looked down at the bow handle and gazed at the engraved carvings that spelled out his name on the wood. "Yes, it is. Artemis had it there because I engraved hers in the dagger I gave her."

"A dagger?" he said confusingly.

In an instant, I produced the dagger from the sash of my chiton and held it out to Apollo. "Orion made it for me from his own bare hands," I told him proudly as he looked at it with furrowed eyebrows. "It is a beauty, is it not? And it is a very strong weapon."

Apollo gently took the dagger away from my fingers to inspect it more closely himself. I found myself becoming anxious at the sight of my dagger in his hands. Inside, I was worried that it might break between his fingers, but that was such a silly assumption. Gods and goddesses were never careless and we do not break things unless it was intentional.

Examining the smooth stone blade, Apollo asked Orion astonishingly, "You made this by yourself? How?"

Orion shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I've been doing it since young. It's something I taught myself."

"Taught yourself?" Apollo repeated, his voice full of amazement. "That's…. rather impressive."

I beamed with pride for my hunter. "It is, isn't it? He taught himself to craft weapons so that he could hunt for survival. A natural, if I do say so myself."

"Ah, but none can ever top you in hunting, dear sister of mine," Apollo proclaimed proudly as he returned my dagger, which I was all too happy to have it back. As I kept the weapon back in the sash of my chiton, he continued on. "And let those who dare challenge you suffer a perfect punishment."

I frowned at how Apollo boasted about me a bit too proudly and I can't help but feel that he was somehow directing it to Orion. It only made me suspect that he directed his words to Orion even more when he asked him for his opinion.

"A huntress like my sister cannot be defeated so easily, of course. Do you agree, Orion?"

By the looks of it, Orion seemed to not know what to say. I wanted to say something then, change the topic maybe. But just as I parted my lips, Orion spoke.

"Of course, Lord Apollo. I know that myself."

I let out a discreet sigh of relief. Though it didn't seem like much, it was good enough. But right now, I had to stop this conversation from continuing.

"Well," I started when I stood up from the tree trunk. "I think we've already had enough time for resting. Shall we get back to hunting?"

In an instant, Orion stood up and grabbed his quiver and bow in one hand and his club in the other, eager to continue on with our favored activity. However, Apollo was still seated down, now staring at the club that was hanging off Orion's leather sash.

"Join us in our hunt, Lord Apollo," Orion invited my brother warmly.

Apollo considered the invitation for a while, his eyes darting back and forth from me and Orion. He pursed his lips and looked down at the ground.

He was taking quite a long time deciding. "If you have something else to do, it's alright if you do not want to come with us," I told him finally. "Maybe you may come another time."

Apollo shook his head and immediately stood up. "No, no. I will join you. I was just thinking to myself of how I am to hunt if I did not bring my bow and arrows."

"You may watch then," I said.

Apollo nodded his head, and followed me and Orion into the woods.

* * *

He was hesitant to agree to follow his sister with the giant, but he could not bear the thought of leaving her alone with him.

Apollo quietly observed Orion, usually when he was not noticing him. He will admit that the son of Poseidon was quite a good-looking fellow, with his short and messy bronze hair, teal green eyes and chiseled face. His body was just as attractive as his face, built to perfection from all those years of hunting.

Apollo found it strange to think that in actuality, Orion was a giant. He was no taller than an average height, even equaling to Apollo's own. He seemed more mortal than giant. Apollo could only conclude that Orion either took his height from his mortal mother, or because there was something wrong in his blood.

Without a weapon to hunt, Apollo took to quietly accompanying Artemis and her hunter, running among the trees with them or standing silently by the sides and watching them shoot arrows at game. He even watched Orion tackle down some wild beasts with just his stone and iron club, witnessing himself the brute strength that the giant possessed.

As the two hours passed and they moved on to new areas of the forest of Crete, he began to realize one thing. The connection between Artemis and Orion was much more than a partnership between a teacher and a disciple.

Apollo observed as the two of them joked and laughed, compliment on each other's skills and Artemis giving soft, friendly punches to Orion's arm. He even noticed his sister playfully putting a twig into the hunter's mess of bronze hair, to which he chuckled and shook his head to get it out. Sometimes, he would catch sight of Orion looking at her with wide eyes and a big smile as she wrapped up the bodies of the animals she had shot down.

It made him feel sick in the stomach.

Artemis would not easily fall for any man; that, Apollo knew very well. In fact, she usually saw unknown men as dangers and will not be afraid to engage in a fight with one if it ever called for it. The only men that she was comfortable with were him, her half-brothers and her uncles.

But seeing the way she looked at Orion with all smiles and giggles and happy eyes made Apollo think otherwise. She was so friendly to him. It had even come to the point where they had exchanged gifts and she was comfortable standing no more than a few inches from the giant.

Throughout the whole time of hunting, Artemis always stood next to Orion, shot arrows alongside him and chased after him playfully, with him doing so later on in return. She paid less attention to Apollo. Alright, she didn't actually completely ignore him. She still stood next to and talked to him for more than ten minutes, but her attentions would always revert back to Orion.

Apollo kept a straight on face throughout the entire time, but inside he was feeling annoyed. He was annoyed at the fact that instead of Orion being the third party, it was him.

Right now, Apollo was leaning against a tree slightly behind the both of them, his arms and legs crossed, his eyebrows pulled into a slight frown and his lips pursed as he watched the both of them. He was standing behind just a few feet from her, watching her pull back the string of her bow with the silver arrow. She stood still for a while, concentrating on hitting her target ahead of her, which was an elk.

In just a second, Artemis released her grip on the bowstring, sending the arrow flying right at the neck of the elk. She turned her head behind and smiled in triumph at Orion and Apollo before running off to the spot of the dead animal.

When Orion started to walk to her, Apollo walked up quickly to his side, surprising him with a sudden conversation.

"Once again, my sister has proved herself a great huntress with her pin-point accuracy and good aim," Apollo said with a smile of pride for Artemis. Orion still seemed quite jumpy that he had suddenly appeared by his side, but recovered and replied, "As usual, my lord. I have seen for the past few weeks how magnificent she is."

At that, Apollo raised an eyebrow at him and pointed out as matter-of-fact, "You speak many great things of Artemis."

Orion nodded with a smile. "Yes, for Artemis and I have gotten to know each other very well. Truly, she is an amazing person."

That seemed to make Apollo's irritation flare a bit. How dare this giant speak of Artemis with so much gratitude and what's more so openly in front of the very brother of the goddess. He spoke as though he was the only one who knew of Artemis' greatness.

No. Only Apollo would be that only one.

"Do you like her?" he asked out of the blue.

For a split second, Apollo wanted to bite his tongue and curse himself for asking that. It made him sound so suspicious and skeptic. But he couldn't help it. Orion spoke so affectionately of Artemis and he couldn't help but know whether he held feelings for her or not.

Orion's eyes widened and a look of confusion washed over his expression. Clearing his throat quite nervously, he asked, "If I may ask, my lord, to what extent do you mean?"

_To the extent of being foolish enough to try to court her. _Apollo said poisonously in his mind, but said to Orion nonchalantly, "To the extent of referring to her as a very good friend."

That made Orion relieved for some reason and, with a small smile, he answered, "Yes. I like her as a very good friend."

But there was something else to his answer. Something that he was afraid to admit but what Apollo was sure to suspect. Orion was not telling the entire truth.

He only pursed his lips and gave a nod to him before turning his attentions to Artemis, who both of them were now approaching. "This is a good catch!" Artemis said enthusiastically. "It's been a rather long time since I've caught elk! Right, Apollo?"

Hearing his sister say his name made Apollo beam instantly. "That is true, sister," he replied cheerily. "I can't wait to try some for dinner."

Suddenly, Orion snapped his fingers and exclaimed, "Maybe there are more around here. Then you can have as much elk meat as you want for dinner!"

Artemis was in the middle of transporting the linen-wrapped elk to her chariot when she heard the statement, to which she excitedly replied, "Maybe there is! Come on! If we get a move on, we might be able to find more!"

Apollo panicked instantly, dreading the thought of having Orion in his presence for even a minute longer. Quickly, he sputtered, "We cannot!"

A silence followed afterwards, accompanied by the strange looks that Artemis and Orion were giving him. Artemis, who was staring at him with a confused frown, asked, "Why?"

_Damn it! Pull yourself together, Apollo! _he scolded himself in his thoughts. He quickly regained a calm composure, cleared his throat, and answered, "We do not have any more time, sister. I just realized that evening is to approach. I must set the sun while you must raise the moon."

Artemis' eyes widened in realization. "Already? Time must have slipped past me."

Apollo let out a discreet sigh of relief and then jerked his head to the side to motion for her to come to him. "Come on, sister. We can't be late," he called.

Artemis nodded in understanding and walked over to him. But not before stopping in front of Orion, looking up at him with a smile.

"See you tomorrow?" she asked him, her eyes bright and hopeful.

Smiling in return, Orion nodded his head. "Tomorrow," he repeated.

And after a friendly punch from Artemis to Orion's stomach and a laugh shared between them, she made her way to her brother, who was quick to drape an arm over his sister's shoulders and walk away from the area with her.

But as Artemis kept her eyes in front of her, Apollo looked behind at Orion, who was walking away in the opposite direction.

_You will never have her._ he said darkly in his thoughts. _She's mine._

* * *

Author's Note:

First of all, I'm alright with people seeing Taylor Swift as Artemis, so long as you didn't take what I said in the last chapter as an insult. It was not an insult. It was just something that I found funny and I might add. I don't hold prejudice to those who view her as Artemis, so long as you don't hate me for not thinking the same way. In my opinion, Artemis will always be dark-haired and dark-eyed.

Second of all, this chapter was a serious pain to type out. I had to rewrite everything at least five times before I was fully satisfied. It was seriously difficult writing the Apollo scenes.

Third of all, my exams are finally over! Now I can chuck all my books to one side and concentrate on the story again!

Fourth of all, I have to hit the hay early because it's my older brother's wedding tomorrow, and there is seriously a lot of things needed to be done at home. On the upside, I can't wait to wear the sage green dress and heels I bought for the occasion!

See you Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	14. Chapter 13

**_Lonely Spirit_**

As I untied the silver reins of my steeds, having just finished raising the moon, I stole glances at Apollo, who was nearby untying the golden reins of his steeds. I noticed how fidgety he looked and how so deep in thought his eyes seemed to be.

"Something bothering you, Apollo?" I asked him loudly. He snapped out of his trance and looked up at me. He exhaled a deep breath and shook his head, replying, "Nothing. There is nothing."

I could sense only half-truths coming from him and frowned. "Is it because of Orion?" I asked. At the mention of my hunter's name, Apollo froze, exhaled a deep sigh and muttered, "Well, I'm thinking about him."

I set aside the reins on my moonstone chariot and made my way towards him with crossed arms. "What is it about him that bothers you?" I questioned calmly, trying my best not to try and provoke him.

Shaking his head again, he replied, "Nothing about him bothers me. I'm just thinking about him. That is all."

I wasn't too convinced by his answer. "Thinking what about him exactly?" I pressed, walking around his chariot, past his steeds, until I stood right beside him now.

Apollo rolled his eyes in annoyance at me. "Gods, you're so pushy," he muttered as he coiled his golden reins around his hand.

"Come on," I pressed even more, ignoring his comment and starting to nudge him on the arm with my elbow. "Tell me, or I'm never going to stop asking you."

Once realizing that resistance was futile, he let out another irritated sigh and finally answered, "He seems like a perfect gentleman. Polite and mannerly. He also seems very close to you, if I might point out. He sees you more as a friend than as a leader or a teacher." And then, he met my eyes and asked, "Do you like him?"

I raised an eyebrow at his last question, wondering exactly why he was asking that. But I remained calm and gave him the answer that I had given to Aphrodite. "I like Orion as a friend. That is all. He respects me and treats me as such in return."

Apollo nodded in understanding and looked away. But as he began to lead the steeds into the stables, I could hear him say, "Well, of course. You don't really expect yourself to like him as more than that, do you?"

I frowned at his question. "What do you mean by that?" I questioned him, walking towards him quickly so that I now stood right in front of him and blocked his way to the stables. "What makes you say that?"

Apollo stared right at me and, judging by his facial expressions and body gestures, I could tell that he really did not want to answer the question. But I responded with my own look on my face which says that I won't back down until he told me his answer. I truly was curious as to what had caused him to say such a thing. Luckily, I had managed to get an answer out of him.

"Artemis, you're a sworn virgin," he said informatively and seriously. "And a sworn virgin is to never have any _close_ relationships with a man that is not her kin. I thought you knew that."

My eyebrows furrowed even more as I stared at Apollo incredulously. Truly, I was so confused by what he was saying. Why would he actually bring up a topic of me being a sworn virgin right now?

"What? What do you-"

Apollo cut me off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Come on and get your horses in their stables. Dinner is starting soon. We don't want to be late, right?"

And without another word, he moved around me and led his horses to the stables, leaving me baffled with my own two steeds nudging at my elbows to bring them in.

* * *

He does not want to admit that he was jealous. But he could not deny it.

Every thought of his precious sister with that giant was like poison to Apollo's mind. He snorted at just the memory of _him_; his jolly teal green eyes, his wide smile that never seemed to falter, the brightness of his soul and more. He grimaced at the mental picture of him and his sister laughing together, playing with each other and giving each other private smiles.

Oh, how it made him sick.

_She can't have another man in her life. _he thought to himself as he stood on the sill of glassless window, looking out at the night sky full of shining stars with a concentrative frown. _She's a virgin. It's practically a rule. She cannot forget about that._

But no matter how much the urge to voice his opinions bothered him, he suppressed it within himself. Apollo did not want to say anything for fear that his jealousy would then be taken into mind and that Artemis would disapprove of his ill-thoughts of _her_ Orion.

"I can handle it," he started to say to himself assuringly in an attempt to ease his thoughts. "Besides, Artemis would never just forget about everything just for this man. She's smarter than that. So calm yourself, Apollo. Artemis would never forget you. She would never leave you alone."

Of course, Apollo was so sure his older twin sister will not forget him. They have a bond that was as strong as the force that keeps both his sun and her moon high up in the sky. That bond was impenetrable and infinite. Never once had the bond between them faltered. It always remained strong, connecting the both of them to each other in spirit.

However, just as Apollo turned away feeling slightly better, a thought popped up into his mind that made him uncertain once more.

_And what if things do not go as you wish?_

He had no answer for that, but he knew that if it were to happen, he would absolutely not like it.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the glassless window of my room, giving light everywhere. I could hear the birds chirping and the soft sound of the breeze as it billowed around the palace.

Once the silver circlet was placed on the crown of my head, I stood up from the small seat at my dressing table and looked in the mirror to assess myself once more.

I was wearing a knee-length hunter green tunic with loose sleeves that reached my elbows and a brown sash tied around my waist. My brown hunting boots were laced up to fit perfectly and my hair was styled into a loose but secured braid.

I brushed invisible dust off my tunic and decided that I looked alright enough. I walked out of the bathroom then, grabbed my silver bow, my quiver of arrows and my stone-bladed dagger off the bed and made my way towards the doors, tucking the dagger into my sash and slinging the strap of the quiver over my shoulder as I went.

When I first stepped out into the hallway, the golden doors of my room closing in my wake, I was greeted by a feminine voice asking me, "Off to see him again, Artemis?"

I turned my head in the direction of the voice to find Aphrodite leaning against the golden doors of her room, her icy blue eyes looking at me playfully with a perfectly arched eyebrow. I noticed immediately that her really long platinum blonde hair was in multiple plaits with jewels adorned in her locks, some as crimson red as the flowing and fitting silk halter dress she was wearing.

"Yes, Aphrodite, I am, if you must know," I answered her in my best civil manner.

"Excited?" she inquired in a sing-song voice.

I snorted, "Why should I be? I see him every day."

Aphrodite then tutted and got her back off the doors to walk towards me. "Come now, Artemis. At least feel a bit of excitement to see him," she reprimanded gently, and then added cheekily, "Orion is indeed something worth anyone's excitement, including yours."

I snorted even more and turned away, muttering, "Don't get any ideas, Aphrodite."

But just as I was about to walk away, Aphrodite suddenly stopped me by placing a hand on my shoulder.

"What is it now?" I asked haughtily as I turned to look back at her.

Aphrodite didn't say anything. She just simply lifted her hands to the circlet around my head and adjusted it a bit. Then, after arranging a few wavy locks of my bistre hair around my face, she took a step back and said with a pleased look, "You look very nice."

Despite the irritation I felt at her cockiness just a few seconds ago, I found myself smiling and giving my thanks to her before walking away.

And so I made my way to the courtyard, passing by servants and helpers and some distant family. I even passed by Hermes, Hestia and Dionysus, all of whom I greeted 'good day' to. They also asked of what I was about to do and I simply replied, "I'm going off to meet Orion."

Two satyr servants helped to open the golden main doors of the palace and I thanked both of them with a bright smile. I took notice of how soothingly warm and bright the day was when I first set foot outside. Another perfect day for hunting in my eyes.

But just as I had made my way down the steps, I suddenly caught sight of a head of golden hair over at a golden chariot. Apollo was tying the golden reins to his horse, completely focused on his task at hand until I called out to him.

"Apollo," I greeted him when I stood by his side and then stood on my tiptoes to give him a peck on his cheek, a usual show of affection from me towards my younger brother. He returned the gesture with one of his bright smiles.

"Want to go hunting with me?" I asked him, actually hoping that this time he would agree.

Suddenly, the smile vanished and his facial expression turned into a look of hesitation. "With Orion, I suppose?" he asked, his eyes turning back to the knot he was tying. I could sense discomfort coming from him when he said Orion's name, but just simply brushed it off.

"Yes," I answered. "Or are you busy?"

He nodded and said, "I'm off to see Cliantha."

Hearing that, I wanted to mentally smack myself on the forehead then. Well, of course! Who else would he have gone to see? _Her_, as per normal.

"Oh, okay. Have fun then."

Apollo simply nodded and muttered, "Will do." I felt slightly uncomfortable by how the conversation just ended then and gave him another kiss to his cheek to somehow lighten things up. It seemed to work, for he gave me another smile. It was small, but it was still there.

I then went off into the stables to bring out my steeds and the silver reins. When I came back out, I was just in time to see Apollo ride off into the sky.

I took a moment to just stand there and watch after him. As I did, I wondered to myself why he had acted in such a way, and something in the back of my mind was telling me that it had something to do with Orion.

Maybe that was it. Apollo hadn't exactly taken the news of Orion too well the first time, and though he acted civil towards my hunter yesterday, he was still somewhat cold in the way he spoke to him.

But somehow, I wasn't too bothered by that thought. Apollo had his Cliantha to calm him down anyway.

* * *

I was completely surprised when I found him sitting on a huge rock on the shores of the beach. Orion watched with a smile as I landed my chariot expertly underneath some trees before getting off from the rock and making his way towards me.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned as I hopped off my chariot, the same time he reached it.

With a smirk, he replied, "I was waiting for you."

"Yes, I can see that. But why are you here? Usually, you wait for me at your clearing."

It was then he pointed to his bronze hair, which I now realized was wet and plastered flat to his head. Some sunlight shone on his head, making his tresses glisten slightly.

"I took a swim in the morning," he told me before I could ask. "It was a nice swim, if I do say so myself."

The sound of neighing suddenly caught Orion's attention and he walked away then to my steeds, which both started to neigh in excitement at the sight of the jolly giant. He laughed at their enthusiasm and began to run his fingers through the mane of the female and petted the snout of the male. Both sniffed and messed up his hair in delight, making him laugh even more.

I strolled to his side, watching in amusement as my steeds greeted him like happy pets. "They really do miss you," I pointed out with a laugh. I caressed the mane of the female, but her attentions remained focused on Orion.

"And so do I," he replied back. giving both my steeds another pat to their snouts before finally turning back to me. "So, shall we continue?"

I nodded my head and went back to the chariot to get my bow and arrows while he went off to get his weapons from wherever he placed them. When he got back, he helped me untie the silver reins and bring the horses to a nice spot to rest before walking off with me into the forest.

As we walked, picking fruits and eating them along the way, we talked about mundane topics like what both of us had been doing in the morning before we met up and how the day was as gorgeous as always. Usually, I would have snored at such boring topics, but I found myself really engaged in the conversation with Orion, who seemed to be able to make any sentence sound interesting.

That was, until he said something that was already interesting on its own.

"My father talked to me earlier on today."

I turned to look at him with curious eyes. "He did? What did he say to you?"

Still keeping his eyes ahead, Orion said, "He spoke to me through the sea breeze, asking me if I was going to spend the day with you again. I said yes and he asked me if I enjoyed hunting with you. I said yes, and I could sense that he smiled at my answer."

I nodded my head thoughtfully. "Once again, you flatter me by saying you enjoy my company," I noted with a knowing smile.

Orion turned to look at me and I met his eyes in return. With seriousness in his teal green eyes, he said in a solemn tone, "Artemis, I'd be willing to say that I do enjoy your company a thousand times if that is what it will take to convince you."

I laughed and shook my hand dismissively, saying in between laughter, "No, no! It's alright. I believe you."

Orion gave me a satisfied smile before looking back ahead, leaving me still chuckling in mirth to myself. But the very second I stopped laughing, he asked, "What does my father look like?"

And that made my both eyebrows to rise in confusion and my eyes to become wide.

"You've never met him before?" I questioned.

A faint blush appeared on his cheeks and he nervously raised a hand to run it through his hair (which was now dry but messy). Under his breath, which I was still able to hear, he murmured, "Not even once."

Okay, I seriously did not expect that. Judging by the few times Orion spoke affectionately of his father and that time at dinner when Poseidon boasted proudly of his son's hunting skills, I of course would assume that they have met each other. So this obviously came to be kind of a shock to me.

"I wonder why is that?" I wondered.

Orion shrugged as a gesture to tell me that he himself did not know the answer.

I got out of my shocked stupor and cleared my throat to answer his question. "Well, he has shoulder-length silvery-white hair with blue hints and sea green eyes, which you inherited the green tint. Sometimes he has a mustache or a beard or both, and sometimes he has neither. He's tall, taller than you even, and bulky muscular."

When I was done describing Poseidon in detail, Orion smiled and commented, "Funny. That's how I usually imagine him to look like. I guess that means I must have known how he looked like all along, even though I've never met him."

I could immediately detect the sadness and disappointment in his voice, and I felt my heart break at the same time.

At that moment, I felt pity for him. Because in a way, that mean that he was somewhat of an orphan. He had never met his mother before nor has he ever seen his father. He was left to fend for himself since young without the care and affection of his parents, even though Poseidon was still somewhat around to guide him. But Poseidon was only there in sound, not in sight or touch.

Suddenly, I came upon the realization of what he truly was underneath the face of a great hunter.

Orion was a lonely spirit.

He had no one to ever stay by his side throughout all those years. For all his life, he traveled alone, ate alone and hunted alone. Sure, there were several women in his life, including Side, Merope and Eos, but they never did stay permanently. They just came and go, leaving him to himself once again.

Honestly, I don't know what I would have done if I had never met my father or my mother. Especially my mother, whose love and care for me since birth had given me a strong foundation in my life. I also wouldn't know how I would cope with being lonely, since I had the close relationships with my half-siblings, my aunts, my friends and even Apollo, my other half.

I wanted to salute to Orion then, because I was truly amazed by how he had managed to be strong and continue on with life. I wondered how exactly he was still able to smile and laugh as though there was no evil in the world, despite those tragic things that had happened to him and the years of being alone.

Suddenly, I was reminded of Persephone's words from that day.

_He must have a strong spirit_

The thoughts of him were what caused me to reach a hand out and grip his shoulder tightly. The both of us stopped in our tracks and Orion looked at me in confusion, but he made no move to shake me off or question me.

"Orion…" I hesitated, not sure of what to say. But in the end, I just exhaled in one breath, "You know I'll still be here for you, right?"

His eyes were confused, I could tell. He was probably wondering what made me say such a thing to him, what's more so out of the blue. But then, slowly, his familiar smile, that wonderful smile, appeared on his lips, looking warm and bright as it always did.

"I don't know why you're saying that, but I do know that what you're saying is absolutely true."

* * *

Author's Note:

So my bro and his new wife are in Hawaii right now, probably surfing waves and doing the hula :P

Anyway, I am soooooooooo tired right now, and what's more is that I am actually having a fever as I type this little author's note. Well, let's just hope it goes away soon so that I could concentrate on the next chapter, alright?

Peace out till Friday... I'm going to bed now...

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	15. Chapter 14

**_Accidents Happen_**

"Love, what bothers you?"

Apollo looked away from the ocean to the emerald-haired Oceanid with green-blue eyes beside him. He and Cliantha were sitting on a cliff on the tiny and uninhabited island of Paros, sitting down together with a basket of fruits in between them, enjoying the panoramic view of the clear blue-green ocean in front of them.

However, Apollo could not enjoy the scenery, because he was so wrapped up in his thoughts.

He shook his head and looked away again, not answering her question. She pressed him even more, saying, "Apollo, tell me."

What should he tell her? That the thought of his sister hunting with that giant was bothering him? Apollo had never once mentioned even a word of Artemis to his lover, so why bring it up now? Besides, he did not feel like conversing of Artemis to her because it simply just wasn't any of her business.

"It's personal," he muttered, eyes still focused on the ocean.

"But still, can you not tell me?" she asked with a frown, her tone clearly showcasing how she did not like to be kept out of things, especially things concerning her godly lover. "I would rather you tell me so that I may try in some way to help," she told him as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I already said no," he said immediately and almost irately. "It's something I would rather keep to myself, if you don't mind."

From the corner of his eye, he could the expression of pure annoyance forming on Cliantha's face, but she said nothing. She just pulled her hand away and continued looking ahead, clearly trying to ignore him. Apollo said nothing as well. He did not even bother to apologize to her and ask her to understand that he wanted to keep his qualms to himself. He had more important things to think about than make Cliantha feel better.

More important things like Artemis.

* * *

There didn't seem to be so much game for the past hour and I was pretty sure that we've already walked pretty far from the beach already. We did manage to shoot down some small animals like rabbit and pheasant, but there wasn't any sizable game like deer or elk. Orion made a joke that we must have hunted down every big animal in the forest already, to which I snorted and dismissed it as impossible.

"There has got to be some around here," I said to myself knowingly, keeping a close eye out for any form of game in the area. Everything seemed serene, the only movements being me and Orion and the rustling of the leaves on the branches in the soft breeze.

Beside me, he too scanned the area with his hands on his hips. He looked up and down, left and right, front and back. But still, there didn't seem to be anything around.

I sighed in frustration. "How are we ever going to find anything now?"

Suddenly, Orion, whose head was tilted up with eyes looking heavenwards, snapped his fingers and exclaimed, "Maybe I should climb the trees and see if there is anything in the vicinity. It's easier to find game from above than from the same level as them."

Thinking about it, I decided that it was a good idea. "You're right. Go do that," I instructed him.

Nodding in confirmation, Orion made his way to one of the tallest trees nearby us and started to climb the huge trunk. He used his hunting dagger to pierce through the wood and lift himself up. All the while, I remained below, watching him climb slowly and carefully. After about thirty seconds or so, he finally stood on one of the highest branches.

"Can you see anything from there?" I called out to him loudly.

Orion began to look around the area, keeping his eye out for anything. I waited patiently for him to finally find something and was more than thankful when he did. "Ahead of you is a wild boar," he called down to me. "It's coming to your view in a few seconds."

True enough, once he had finished his sentence, I could hear the familiar grunt of a boar and one appeared out from the trees a few meters in front of me. I smiled to myself that finally there was some decent game and made quick to ready my bow and arrow. Orion remained where he was on the tree branch, watching quietly.

The boar did not seem to notice my presence and I was thankful for that. Swiftly yet carefully, I pulled the bowstring back to its maximum with the arrow and waited until I achieved a perfect target on my prey.

Finally, the boar turned and I am given a perfect view of its hind. _Perfect…._ I thought to myself. And within a second, I released my grip on the string and sent the arrow flying.

But at the same time, there was the sound of wood breaking from above, followed by a loud manly scream. And in just a few seconds, I was able to assess three things.

First; the boar panicked at the sound of the scream and ran away from the scene completely unscathed.

Second; the sound of wood breaking came from the branch which broke under Orion's weight, and it was Orion's screams that I heard.

Third; as though the Fates had planned for it, Orion and my arrow came into contact at the exact same time, with the tip of the arrow grazing his arm.

Right now, Orion lay on the ground in front of me, a few minor cuts attained from his high fall. But the worst injury of all was that on his left arm, where my arrow had grazed him. There was a deep gash with blood pooling out of it.

"**Orion!**" I shouted in panic and ran towards him. I dropped to my knees beside his lying form and brought my hands to his face to check if any damage was done there. There were scratches and small cuts and mud and dirt staining his smooth face, which I gently and carefully brushed away.

He let out a tiny groan. "That was painful…"

I moved my attentions from his face and the rest of his body and focused it solely on the gash on his arm. Blood was still pouring, with some already starting to seep into the earth. I could see that my arrow's tip had grazed him very deeply. Luckily, it didn't look to be close to his bone. Still, it looked even worse up close.

"We've got to have this taken care of," I said to both him and myself urgently as many thoughts raced through my mind. The most important thing to do right now was find a source of water to clean up his injuries. But there didn't seem to be any body of water nearby us. I didn't want to get Orion to walk to find one. It could be miles from where we were.

The only place that came into my mind was the waterfall and the pool at his clearing.

"Okay…. Okay, okay, okay…." I mindlessly chanted to myself nervously as I brought his head into my arms and cradled him gently, my silver bow still gripped in one hand. He looked at me in confusion through half-lidded eyes, wondering what I was doing.

I couldn't explain it to him first. I had to get the both of us to his clearing in the quickest way possible.

"Hold on, Orion," I instructed him before I shut my eyes. Quickly, I cleared my head and began to think to myself of only his clearing. I remembered every single detail perfectly and made my mind set it as my destination.

I could feel a rushing of wind around us for a few seconds and the noises of the forest blurred out. It was like that for a few seconds and then it died out. When it did, I could hear the familiar rushing sounds of the waterfall. I opened my eyes slowly and, true enough, we were at his clearing.

Orion looked at me with wide and shocked eyes and a gaping mouth. "That was…. incredible!" he exclaimed breathlessly in awe. "How did you do that?!"

After putting aside my bow and shrugging the strap of my quiver off my shoulder, I carefully set his head down on the soft green grass below us before I made a stand and moved towards the pool.

"You seem to have forgotten that I am a goddess," I remarked, conjuring up a wooden bowl to collect some water. "Teleportation is just one of my many abilities."

_Unfortunately, I don't know whether healing is one of them. _I thought to myself in dismay as I made my way back to Orion's side with a bowlful of water.

I set the bowl aside first to take off all of Orion's weapons. I put aside his wood and iron club (which felt light in my hands though it looked really heavy), his hunting dagger, his arrow and his quiver of arrows. When he had nothing on except his clothes, I conjured up a piece of cotton cloth and dipped it in the water to wash off his cuts.

"It would be good if you just lie down still and don't move around so much," I instructed him worriedly. "It would make it easier for me to try and help you."

"Okay," he murmured in understanding, and then he took a deep breath and lied down still.

* * *

Cliantha was obviously annoyed, even after an hour had passed since that conversation.

As she walked beside him through the forest, Apollo just kept looking ahead and not talking to her. He would have to admit that he found her behavior ridiculous. Did she not respect his decision to keep matters to himself? It was not like he had to share everything that happened to him with her. She was just not at that level of importance yet.

"You are annoyed," he pointed out as matter-of-fact, his eyes still locked ahead and not looking at her.

"And you know why," she replied sharply. "Honestly, Apollo. What's so important that you can't tell me? Huh?"

At this point, he was really agitated. Apollo spun on his heel to face her, causing her to freeze in her tracks and look at him with taken-aback eyes. Apollo dropped the basket he was holding and took a step forward to speak closer to her face.

"I'm thinking of my sister. There, does that satisfy your curiosity?" he said in a near-hostile tone.

Cliantha was slightly frightened by Apollo's sudden change in behavior, but became skeptic at the mention of his sister.

"What's so important about your sister?" she questioned.

When she said that, Apollo snapped.

"Are you insinuating that my sister is not important?" he accused angrily.

Cliantha was not willing to be the bad guy in this confrontation, and haughtily crossed her arms and replied, "You see her every day, so why exactly are you so worried about her? Besides, you know I don't like it when you mention any other woman while you're with me. Your sister is just one of them."

Apollo could not believe what he was hearing. Did this Oceanid actually insinuate that Artemis was not important? And did she have the nerve to still tell him that she didn't like it when he thought of Artemis? And did she just refer to Artemis as 'any other woman'?

"You think yourself highly?" he questioned darkly, his gaze turning dangerous.

The Oceanid suddenly took a step back at the sight of Apollo. Never before had she seen him so murderous and angry. Of course, it frightened her. But the anger she felt herself flared just as strongly.

"I am the lover of you, the Sun God. I have coupled with you and may birth your children. So does that not consider me highly?"

_The nerve of this blasted wench… _Apollo thought to himself poisonously.

"Well, if that's what you think, then let me be the one to disappoint you and say that you are _nothing_," he spat in her face. "And let me tell you that Artemis will forever and always be the most important woman of my life, and no one, not even you, _Cliantha_, will take her place."

And right after saying that, Apollo merely turned and walked away from her, muttering under his breath, "I should have struck you down where you stand."

But murdering the vain Oceanid was not on his mind right now. Right now, it was keeping Artemis to himself that dominated his thoughts.

* * *

Orion obviously needed extensive healing, but I only knew the basics of the art and can only do little tasks such as healing minor injuries like cuts and bruises and curing illnesses like a fever or a cold. I don't know whether I was capable of healing major injuries like the gash on his arm. But nonetheless, I might as well try.

Orion's small cuts and scratches disappeared easily without a mark. My anxiety worsened when I began to get to the main problem; the gash. It didn't seem to be bleeding anymore, which was a good thing. Slowly and gently, I cleaned off the blood that stained the wound. When that task was done, I set the cloth in the bowl of water and got into action.

I placed both my hands gently above his wound and focused all my energy onto it, my hands glowed a bright silver as a result. Orion, who had obediently stayed still the whole time I was healing him, watching in amazement. But I paid no heed to him, my attentions all on the wound. I cleared my mind of everything except for the purpose of healing him.

After a while, I lowered my energy and brought my hands away from the wound. I saw now that although it seemed slightly better than its state a few minutes ago, it still hadn't full closed up.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. I knew that it was the best that I could achieve. Anything more was beyond my capabilities. "I guess I'll have to patch it up then."

I made the bowl of cloth and water disappear and conjured up a long strip of white linen cloth. I asked Orion to lift up his left arm and he gingerly did so. I swiftly and gently wrapped the linen cloth around the wounded area, tying the ends into a bow when it was fully covered.

I proceeded to cure the rest of the small cuts that I have missed out just now. As I did, Orion's eyes followed me, watching me intently.

"Every man's dream…" he suddenly murmured.

I was healing a scratch on his other arm when he said that, and I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

With a smile, he said, "Is it not every man's dream to be taken care of by a goddess?"

"Do you mean that in the good way or the bad way?" I asked jokingly with a smirk.

Orion chuckled heartily, "You have such an evil sense of humor, Artemis. But I meant that statement in a good way, of course."

I rolled my eyes in amusement. "Of course, you did," I replied. And then, my eyes flashed over to his bandage, and I felt a twinge of guilt immediately.

"I'm so sorry…"

"For what?" he questioned curiously.

Gesturing to his arm with a tip of my chin, I explained guiltily, "It's because of me you have that. I wish I hadn't shot the arrow. Then you wouldn't have attained more injuries than you should from the fall."

Orion let out a sigh. "It's alright, Artemis. I knew you hadn't meant to do it on purpose. It was just an accident. Besides, I'm even more thankful that you were there, or else I wouldn't know what to do. It's a really good thing you're such a good healer."

At his last statement, I shook my head humbly. "Oh, I'm nothing compared to Apollo. He could cure you in a split second. I mean, he _is_ the greatest healer in the universe. That's why he is the God of Healing."

At the mention of my brother's name, Orion frowned slightly and pursed his lips. "I'm kind of scared of him," he said quietly.

"What?" I said incredulously. "Why are you afraid of him?

Propping his elbows on the ground, he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. With his back hunched over slightly and his elbows on his propped-up knees, he replied, "I don't mean to be rude or suspicious, but the way he spoke to me yesterday was as though he was waiting for me to do something bad to you. He interrogated me as though I was some sort of murderer."

I froze immediately while I felt a heat of anger rising in me. So Apollo had been 'interrogating' Orion? I couldn't believe that he would have the nerve to do that! What's more on their first meeting together! How rude!

"He was just being protective of me," I admitted stiffly. "He's usually like that."

"What is there for him to be protective of you for?" he asked incredulously. But then, as realization dawned upon him, he exclaimed in disbelief, "Did he honestly think that I would hurt you?"

I really did not want to say anything for the matter, but I nodded my head in confirmation nonetheless.

Orion obviously did not take that piece of information very well. "I'm sorry, but why would he think I would hurt you? I would never hurt you! What? Is it because I'm a man, and he thinks I would do absurd acts towards you?"

"It's not only because of that," I replied immediately, my voice quivering as I thought of the true reason. "It's also because you're a giant."

"What has that got to do with anything?" Orion questioned in frustrated confusion.

Orion being a giant had gotten to do with absolutely everything. It was one of the reasons why I had been so hesitant to allow him into my hunt in the beginning. At that moment, I was so hesitant of telling him. I didn't want to tell him of the memory that still made me shiver in fear up until now. I didn't want to tell him of the giants that nearly pulled me to the horrid realm of the dead.

But I did it anyway.


	16. Chapter 15

**_Truths Be Told_**

Telling Orion of that horrible memory was a very difficult decision for me to make. It was very personal and I feared that speaking of it would bring negative effects for me. But I felt obliged to do so. He truly wanted to know the reason why he wasn't trusted just because he was a giant – a mortal-sized one, but still a giant nonetheless. Besides, he confided in me his deepest secrets, and I thought it's about time I did the same.

"I will tell you the reason," I told him as I moved to sit beside him, just a few inches apart. "The reason why Apollo does not like you for being a giant, which would also be the reason why I had been so hesitant to accept you in the first place."

Orion looked at me with a questionable gaze, wondering about my serious and solemn tone. "Okay," he breathed, before proceeding to lie back down on his back, his hands folded atop his stomach. "Go on."

With a deep breath, I started to tell him my tale.

"I had an encounter with two giants a few years back. They were called The Aloadae and their names were Otus and Ephialtes."

"I've met them before," he said suddenly.

"You have?" I inquired in an astonished voice.

He nodded his head. "Yes, and I have to say that they are seriously the most arrogant creatures I have ever crossed paths with. They made fun of me for being mortal-sized and I simply hated them for that and the fact that they were so vain and egoistic. Once, they've boasted about how they were so strong that they could take over Mount Olympus."

"They've attempted to," I murmured quietly, my head filled with images of that memory. "They piled Mount Pelion on top of Mount Ossa and stood at its peak to demand the pantheon to surrender our power to them or else they would never give up Ares, who they've captured and taken hostage of thirteen months before. They too demanded for something else along with it."

"And what was that?" Orion asked, his voice intent and curious.

I felt my spirit shaking like a leaf as I recalled the voice of Otus and Ephialtes, those horrible, accursed giants, demand the absurd.

"Ephialtes demanded that Queen Hera married him, while Otus demanded me as his bride."

"WHAT?!" he suddenly shouted as he shot up into a sitting position. I watched for a split second as he winced from the sudden movement, having forgotten about his injuries, but he ignored it and focused all his attentions on me. "Are they stupid or what?! Otus thought that he could actually just _demand _you?!"

I cringed at his sudden outburst of shock, but cringed even more at the picture of the giant Otus in my head. I couldn't believe that after all those years, I still remembered the way he looked. I still remembered his shaggy sandy blonde hair and his sea green eyes. I remembered how exactly tall he was and how sickening was his personality.

"Naturally, I refused, of course. And so did Hera. But they still demanded it and threatened Mount Olympus with attacks. We attacked back, but they were immune to our powers. They cannot be killed by anyone but each other."

"That's…. interesting…." Orion mumbled in awe.

I nonchalantly shrugged before I continued. "It was a tense week for everyone, and many cowered in fear of the Aloadae. I felt such a huge weight of responsibility on my shoulders to both the citizens of Mount Olympus and to Ares that I went up to Zeus and told him that I had decided to become Otus' bride."

"Oh, Gods above, no!" Orion exclaimed in shock.

"But it was actually a ploy to distract them so that Ares can make an escape. I told them to meet me on the island of Naxos to discuss the wedding. When we met up, Ephialtes started feuding with Otus because he was apparently jealous that I had accepted to become Otus' bride whereas Hera still found him repulsive. During their feud, Ephialtes foolishly threw away the bronze pithos that held Ares. I managed to get him to escape with Hermes' help, but once they realized the ploy, the Aloadae gave chase."

I grimaced as I remembered the chase. I remembered running through the trees, dodging past branches and jumping over fallen trunks. I remembered how difficult it was to run, because I was dressed in a long white cotton wedding dress that was gifted to me by Hera. I remembered how I tore away the silk veil and flower crown from my head, both gifts from Hestia and Persephone respectively, and threw it away to the forest floor because it gave me issues with my speed. I remembered how fear ran through the ichor in my veins as I tried desperately to get the twin giants off my tail.

"I came up with a plan that might get them to cause harm to each other. Two things you should know about the Aloadae; they both think themselves more highly than the other and they cannot resist a good game. So I turned into the best game that ever existed; a silver doe."

"You can do that?" he asked in amazement.

I pointed to my face and replied with a smirk, "Goddess, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," he realized with a sheepish smile.

I smiled for a split second at his sheepishness, but it immediately disappeared when I delved further into the memory.

"They saw me as the doe, and were instantly fascinated. Otus proclaimed that he would get it for me, while Ephialtes proclaimed that he would hunt it down as an offering to Hera so that she might reconsider being his bride. They chased me down back to the beach, where they both cornered me from the sides. They thought that I had no escape left, but oh, how wrong they were."

"What did you do?"

I remained nonchalant as I recalled clearly what exactly I had done. "I jumped between them and both threw their spears at the same time. But I came down to the ground quickly, just as the spears impaled both of their hearts."

"Gods above!" he exclaimed in amazement.

Though his expression was one of awe, mine was more grim, for I was now about to speak of the part that still made me quake in fear.

And that's what started happening; I started to quake in fear.

"I watched them sink to through the sand, entering the horrid dead realm of Tartarus. That was supposed to be the end of them. That should be the end. They were supposed to stay down there and die that very instant. They should! But….. but….."

"Artemis? Artemis, what's wrong?" Orion suddenly asked, his tone entirely dripping with worry and concern.

I didn't reply to him because I was completely immersed in the memory of what Otus had attempted. That horrible, horrible memory. That moment where I, a goddess, could have easily met a painful death.

"Otus' hand shot out from the sand and grabbed my leg….. His head emerged out of the sand - his sickening, dead face - and he told me that he would never let me go…. That I would be his bride no matter what….. Then…. Then…."

"Artemis? Artemis?"

I could no longer tame the tears that burned the back of my eyes and felt many streaming down my cheeks immediately. I felt myself shivering violently and I unconsciously tightly gripped handfuls of my hair.

"**He pulled me down into the earth with him! It was horrible! I could feel the icy coldness of death in my ichor as I entered the boundaries of the Underworld. But when the first few of my toes entered Tartarus, my whole body was suddenly engulfed in white-hot flames! I could feel the blistering hot heat seep into my skin, my muscles, my bones, my sinews and even in my blood! I wanted to scream for help, but I was so deep in the underground that the earth filled my mouth! I couldn't dig out from the earth because Otus was too strong! I thought it was the end of me! I thought that I really was forced by the Fates to spend eternity in fiery depths of Tartarus as the unwilling bride….**"

I let out a loud gasp when I suddenly felt arms locking around me in a tight embrace. I was confused. What was going on? I couldn't see. Everything was so blurry, and it was then I realized that it was blurry because of the tears that filled my eyes.

I hadn't realized that my breathing was frantic until I felt my entire face was red and my heart was pounding rapidly in my chest. I slowed it down by taking deep breaths as I brought a hand to wipe away my tears. When I could finally see again, though my eyes still burned, I saw that Orion was looking at me with worried eyes…. while he still held me in his arms.

I couldn't believe that I had acted in such a way in front of him. This would be the first time I've cried in front of him, and it felt slightly embarrassing. But the pain of the memory was too much for me to bear. I had to use whatever mental strength I had left to forget about the angry red mark that had been on my entire left leg; the very spot Otus' giant hand had grabbed me to pull me down into the death realm with him.

"It's alright," I suddenly heard Orion say gently and I realized that he was trying to soothe me. "It's alright. Whatever happened is in the past. You are here and you are safe."

_Safe_. Wasn't that the word Hades told me when he visited me three weeks after what had happened with the Aloadae? He had come to inform me that the wretched giants were being punished for their insolence towards both the Olympic pantheon and to me in the depths of Tartarus, where they still reside after all these years.

I burrowed closer to Orion, as though looking for comfort from him. He shifted a bit so that I was comfortable in his arms, with teal green eyes that still held concern for me.

"I wouldn't have been safe if it weren't for Apollo…" I quietly said in a soft voice. "My hand was the only part of me that was still above ground and Apollo arrived in the nick of time to grab it before it too disappeared. His strength overpowered Otus', and he managed to pull me out of the earth and back on the surface, away from Tartarus altogether."

I paused to take a deep breath before I continued. "That's why he and I hold grudges against giants. Ever since the Aloadae, I've been wary of them, and would not hesitate to strike any down. But…"

"But?" he asked.

I turned to look at him then, locking my eyes with his.

"You're different, Orion. And not because you're mortal-sized. You're unlike the other giants, who only tried to wage war upon the pantheon. You do not seek infinite power and you do not look for fights. Sure, you have made mistakes in the past, but you do not attempt to make the same ones again. You just hunt and enjoy your freedom. That is what I like about you, Orion. The reason why I like spending time with you."

Something in Orion's eyes told me that he felt something about what I had said about him. Though the worry and concern still lingered in his teal green pair, a small smile suddenly graced his lips. That smile made my own appear.

I then shrugged off his arms off me, being careful of his bandage, before I moved a few inches from him and lied down on the grass. I looked up at the canopy of leafy branches above me, gazing at the bright sunlight which streamed through the small gaps between the leaves.

"Apollo is still getting used to the idea of you being in my company," I added. "But I think he would get over it soon. All I need to do is prove to him that you are not like the other giants and that you're a better one. I don't know how long it might take, but I will try to make it happen."

Beside me, Orion said nothing. He just simply looked at me in silence, but he then lied down as well, right beside me. For the first few seconds, the both of us said nothing. Only gazing at the canopy above us and listening to the rushing of the small waterfall as it fell into the plunge pool and the chirping of birds in the trees above us.

"Artemis?" I heard him say, officially breaking the silence between us. I turned my head to him and saw that his head was already turned to face me.

"Yes?"

With a deep breath, he told me gently, "You know I would never hurt you, right?"

Such small words, but yet it held so much value. I found myself smiling at him and I then did something I would never expect myself to do at all.

I reached for his hand and held it in mine.

His eyes flashed to his hand in mine for a split second before looking at me in surprise. My smile stayed glued to my lips and his own smile returned at the sight of it. Slowly, his fingers began to entwine themselves with mine, locking our hands together.

"I know," I finally replied with absolute certainty. "I trust you, Orion."

* * *

"You what?!"

Apollo ignored Hermes' outburst, though his half-brother's voice had manage to sound throughout the garden. He continued to look down at his reflection in the clear waters in the bowl of the marble fountain.

He had returned to Mount Olympus, thinking it useless to spend any more time with Cliantha after their little spat. He had made his way to the garden, where, coincidentally, Hermes was lazing around. Seeing his older half-brother fuming, Hermes inquired. Wanting to find some way to release his anger without actually involving anything broken by his hands, he told him.

"You just said that to your lover?!" Hermes exclaimed in disbelief as he floated above Apollo. Hermes knew that Apollo was reputed to be a gentle lover, so to hear about him acting so poisonously to one was indeed quite a shock.

Apollo looked up at Hermes with a frown. "I won't allow anyone to say anything like that about Artemis," he explained with a hard edge in his voice. "If anyone dare speaks ill of my sister, they would have to answer to me."

"How sweet," Hermes remarked with a smile on his face. "How very protective of you."

To Hermes' surprise, Apollo snorted in response. "Protective is right. Especially with the company she chooses to spend time with now," he said grimly.

It didn't take Hermes more than a few seconds to realize who he was talking about.

"Don't tell me you're still upset about Artemis spending time with Orion!" he exclaimed. When Apollo haughtily turned away with a gruff, Hermes continued on in disbelief, "Come on, Apollo! It's not like she is in danger or something. Like Athena said; it's been three weeks since the two of them got together and nothing happened."

"She could be in danger by, but she still wouldn't think about it," Apollo grumbled stubbornly. "What's so special about Orion anyway? What makes him different from all the giants we had faced in the past? No matter how tall – or short – he is or how good at hunting he is, he is still and forever will be a giant."

"Yes," Hermes agreed, but then added defensively, "A giant who Artemis could call a friend."

Apollo simply rolled his eyes and continued to stare at his reflection in the water. Hermes could not understand why he was acting so hostile about the idea of Artemis spending time with another person. It wasn't as though Apollo had never done the same before. In fact, he had done it a _lot_ more times than his sister.

"I really don't understand-" But before Hermes could finish his sentence, realization smacked upon him like a ton of rocks to his face. He realized now why Apollo was acting so like…. this.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

"_What?!_" Apollo shouted in absurdity as his head snapped up to look at Hermes. "That's ridiculous! What makes you say that?!"

Hermes did not flinch, for he had expected Apollo to react in such a way. Calmly and coolly, he lowered himself until his feet were both planted on the lip of the fountain bowl. With crossed arms and a skeptical raised eyebrow, he remarked, "You're certainly acting like it."

Apollo's irritation flared instantaneously. How could Hermes just assume that he was jealous? He didn't know anything, so might as well he kept his mouth shut.

"Suddenly, I don't want to talk about it," he said out of the blue. "I'll see you later, Hermes," he muttered quickly before turning and walking away. He knew he had to get out of the scene before things got _too _out of hand.

But as he entered the palace, all he could think to himself was, _Am I jealous?_

* * *

Orion had wanted to resume hunting, but I stood firm and told him that he couldn't because of his injury. So since he was banned from me to hunt, he took to just laying down beside me in his clearing and talking.

I still felt kind of embarrassed about how I had reacted in front of him just now, but Orion said nothing of it or did he try to bring the conversation back up. In fact, he seemed as though he was trying to distract me from delving back into the thought. And if he was, then I thought it was very sweet and caring of him.

There was no fixed topic for us to converse. We just talked randomly about things such as the weather and the sea and the forest and etc. It seemed nice that we could just talk about anything without putting so much thought into it, and yet we would still enjoy it.

But as we talked, time went on its course as per normal, and soon it was evening.

"I have to go now," I told him as I got up onto my feet. He followed as well, standing beside me in a few seconds.

"Let me accompany you back to your chariot," he asked, but I shook my head. "You need to stay here and rest, Orion. The fall you took was pretty bad, and I don't know whether I had fully healed you."

But no matter how adamant I was, Orion was even more. "I can assure you, Artemis, that I am still capable of walking from here to the beach and back. I'll be alright, I promise."

I could see he wasn't going to give up so easily, so I gave in and allowed him to walk with me back to my chariot. I kept a close eye on him, taking note of the way he moved to somehow find reason for him to go back. But he seemed to manage, so I left him alone.

Finally, the ocean, which was a dusky green now with the oncoming evening, came into view, and so did my horses, which were both resting under a tree near my chariot. Orion helped me secure the male to the chariot as I worked with the female. When I was all set and ready to go, I made to stand in front of him.

"Take my advice and don't do any hunting tonight," I instructed him. "You really need a lot of rest. I'll come back and see what I can do to help you in healing."

Orion nodded in acknowledgement. "I promise, Artemis. And thank you for helping me."

And then, suddenly, he came forward and wrapped his arms gently around me. I gasped silently in shock and wanted to push him away for standing so close and without telling me beforehand. But I realized I didn't want to do that. It actually felt…. _nice_ in his embrace. So nice that I found myself hugging him back.

When we both separated at the same time, we looked at each other and smiled warmly. We then bade our goodbyes to each other and said we would see each other again tomorrow. And with that, I climbed onto my chariot and commanded my steeds to ride.

When my chariot was lifted into the air, I turned my head to smile back at Orion. It didn't surprise me to find him smiling at me already.

* * *

"Are you alright, Apollo?"

I found him sitting cross-legged on his golden chariot, which his horses were already secured to. He had his eyebrows furrowed and looked so deep in thought when I rode in, and I knew that something was bothering him.

He watched me approach him slowly before he replied in a mutter, "I had a bad day."

Naturally, I became concerned. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him as I took a seat beside him on the chariot. Apollo didn't say anything. He just exhaled a sigh and reached for one of my hands. For a while, he just silently gazed at his hand in mine.

"You know I'm here for you, right?" I reminded him gently.

Finally, he turned his head to me and gave me a smile. But the smile didn't seem to touch his eyes. There was something much more in his clear blue orbs.

I wonder why.

* * *

Author's Note:

If you want to know more about what happened between Artemis and the Aloadae, read my old fanfic **_The__ Aloadae_**_._

Anyway, I also want to say that I have a long Artemis & Apollo one-shot out. It's called _**Blessed** **Gifts**_. I hope all of you can find the time to read it, and maybe leave a review? :)

Until Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	17. Chapter 16

_**The Feel of Words**_

Apparently, Apollo and his lover had a little squabble that afternoon. While he ranted about how stupidly she was acting, he did not actually tell me as to what the fight was about, but I did not inquire because the look in his eyes already signaled to me that he did not want to ponder so much about it. So instead, I just quietly stayed by his side and gave him my full attentions and comforted him in the best way I could.

He seemed to be able to find solace in my presence and craved for more, as shown by the way he would sometimes randomly grasp my hand under the dinner table or give me unexpected small smiles that were for no reason whatsoever. I did not complain though. I was just glad that I could be there for him when he needed me.

After dinner, he seemed to have calmed down but he did not wish to part ways yet. So we made our way to the lounge and proceeded to just chat as I lounged on a chaise and he sat on an armchair right beside. He did not inquire about my day, so I did not tell him. I actually didn't contribute so much to the conversation because I wanted to allow him to speak of whatever he wished to speak of.

"I have received prayers from a young man from Delphi who wishes for me to grant him courage to take part in his village's musical festival with his kithara," he told me informatively. "While I have answered his prayers, I'm very interested in attending this festival

That didn't seem like a bad idea, to be honest. One of Apollo's all-time favorite activities was to attend the music festivals of the mortals.

"You should, Apollo," I advised him. "It's been quite a while since you attended one. Spend some time with what you really love. It will soothe your soul."

_In other words, just spend some time with music instead of with Cliantha, because I think spending another minute with your little nymph will be just a minute too long. _I thought to myself with an inward smirk.

Apollo nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, maybe I should. But then, I think…."

Before he could continue on with his words, a new voice sounded in the lounge.

"Good evening, you two," Hermes greeted with a smile as he walked into the lounge. He seemed to have gotten back from somewhere, judging by how messily wind-blown his pale blonde hair looked.

"Good evening, Hermes," I replied with my own smile. I noticed that Apollo did not greet Hermes and just stared at him nonchalantly. I also noticed Hermes giving him a wary glance before returning his attentions to me. "So what were the both of you doing?" he inquired as he plopped himself down on a huge mound of colorful silk pillows on a wool carpet nearby.

"Just chatting, actually," I replied. "There isn't much to do tonight."

Sprawled atop the mound of cushions, Hermes chuckled, "You're right about that one. But I like a lazy night like this. At least I don't have to do so much work and can laze around for all I want until I have to get up and go." Then, after shifting his position a bit to get more comfortable, he asked, "How was your day?"

Well, at least someone finally asked me about my day.

"It was alright. The day was bright and beautiful as always."

I was mindful to not mention Orion, and at that moment I suddenly remembered that he had told me that Apollo sort of interrogated him. I suddenly remembered the anger and annoyance I had felt for Apollo at that moment and those said feelings returned, but I kept them inside me because the atmosphere between us was peaceful and he had a bad day and I didn't want to make it worse.

Suddenly, Apollo finally spoke up. "That's good. Glad to know that your day was fun."

There was sort of an edge to his voice that I could instantly detect. It made his words sound as though he was repulsed, and it didn't take me more than a split second to know why. Well, I tried to not bring that up for his sake, and he just went ahead and brought it up himself, making his mood worse on his own.

Also, I seriously did not want to have an argument about that right now.

Luckily, Hermes broke the would-be tension by engaging in a conversation with both me and Apollo. We chatted with him normally, but the atmosphere of ill-feelings somewhat still lingered in the air between us.

I'll deal with Apollo in the best way I could later on. But right now, I think I should just unwind and relax.

* * *

The next morning, I did the usual and performed my duty of bringing down the moon for dawn and having breakfast in the dining hall straight afterwards. Of course, I was all prepared to spend the day with Orion once again, although there would be no hunting today.

After breakfast, I took some time to locate a certain goddess to request something from her. Luckily, she agreed without much question and argument. She told me to wait for her in the courtyard while she went to get my requested item. Now, I was leaning against my moonstone chariot, waiting for her to show up. My horses, which were already secured to the chariot, were neighing repeatedly as though to say 'Why are we waiting?'

Suddenly, I heard the golden main doors opening and I turned my head in its direction to see a young goddess, with golden brown hair that fell in soft curls to her waist and kind caramel eyes, walking towards me. At the sight of her, I got my back off my chariot and smiled graciously as I walked towards her and met her halfway.

"I got it, Artemis," she said to me.

"Thank you so much, Hebe," I said gratefully to her. "I'll repay the favor soon. I promise."

Hebe, the Goddess of Youth and one of my many half-sisters, smiled back and shook her head gently. "It's alright, Artemis. There is no need to do that. I'm just glad I could be of help."

Then, she lifted her right hand to me, and grasped in her slender fingers was a small and clear diamond-shaped crystal vial full of liquid the color of rose red. Just exactly what I needed.

"Just a small vial of ambrosia?" she remarked to me in a curious tone as I gently took it from her fingers and held it carefully in mine. "I can see that you are going out, but why do you need such a small amount for?"

"I assume you know that I spend my afternoons with a son of Poseidon named Orion?" I asked her as I made the vial disappear in my fingertips. "Well, I think nearly everyone knows about it now, right?"

Hebe thought about it for a while before nodding her head. "Yes, I've heard."

"Well, he was injured yesterday during hunting. He attained a gash on his left arm because he fell from a high tree branch. I had only managed to stop his blood from flowing out and heal small cuts and bruises, but I was unable to close up the gash wound completely. So I just need to anoint a small amount of ambrosia on him to heal his wound."

I didn't tell the entire truth about how Orion attained the gash because I still felt ashamed that it had been my indirectly my fault. I truly wanted to make up for it by healing him completely, which was why I had requested for ambrosia. But I was mindful to only ask for a small amount because the power of ambrosia was extremely potent. If one were to consume even just one cup of the sweet-smelling rosy red liquid, immortality would be granted.

"Oh," Hebe said. "Well, it is truly nice of you to help him in a way. You do have a heart of gold. By the way, you look very nice today."

I looked down at the dress I was wearing. It was a long, fitting and flowing dress of carmine red silk with thick golden straps and an emerald sash at my waist, which had a ribbon tied at my back. I was wearing sandals with it and my bistre hair was let loose with a diamond-encrusted silver hair clip, which was a gift from Apollo, adorned at the side of my head.

"Thank you, Hebe," I replied graciously.

"Looking pretty for him, I suppose?" she asked with a curious glint in her caramel eyes.

I laughed and waved my hand dismissively. "No, no. Orion and I are nothing like that. We are just close companions. That is all."

Hebe's eyebrows knitted together as she looked at me curiously. "Huh, that is not what the others say," she commented.

That got my attentions immediately.

"What did the others say?" I inquired immediately.

Hebe suddenly started to look a bit worried and hesitant. She bit her bottom lip and started to nervously run her fingers through her thick and curly golden brown hair. She averted her eyes from me to the ground.

"Hebe," I said her name gently as I took a step forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me, please?"

She finally lifted her eyes to look at me. "I really need to know. Please tell me," I gently urged my half-sister.

Hebe relaxed slightly and stopped biting her bottom lip and folded her hands on her front in a womanly gesture. She took a deep breath before she spoke again.

"Many of the other deities all wonder why exactly you would spend time with a man. Hope you do not mind me, but I have heard that some find it rather….. out of character for you, since you only usually spend time with men such as your brother, Hermes and Dionysus. So of course, they naturally assumed that this demigod was courting you."

I pursed my lips at her words. Of course I knew that the topic of me spending time with Orion had been a topic of conversation amongst the other deities, but I found it absolutely ridiculous that all of them would make a big deal out of it and even make stupid assumptions which they all believed were true. There had been deities, both male and female, who had bedded animals and given birth to hybrids, but yet my spending time with Orion was apparently some sort of scandal.

"They are just busybodies and morons then," I snorted when I turned to walk to the back of my chariot. "They do not know how to not assume if they do not know the entire tale. But if they wish to continue talking about me and Orion as such, then let them. I have absolutely no time or care in the world to entertain these petty gossipers."

Hebe nodded understandably. "I guess you are right, Artemis. It is your business after all," she said gently. "Anyway, I see that you must go now. Have fun with Orion today."

I felt my lips relax into a smile and thanked her as I got on my chariot. Hebe waved goodbye to me, and I waved goodbye back, before making her way inside the palace and I flew off into the air.

* * *

It was easy to walk through the forest in a long dress. I only just needed to lift up the hem a few inches above my ankles for me to walk over things on the forest floor.

I had come across some animals that could have been potential game if I had been dressed in my hunting attire and armed with my bow and arrows. But since there was no hunting today, I let them go.

All the creatures were attracted to my presence and eagerly made their way towards me, even though I was pretty sure that I have hunted down some of their kin. But it's great to have them be so gentle around me. I have stopped several times just to pet some stags and rabbits on their snouts.

Finally, I made my way into the cluster of trees and reached the various and colorful fruit trees. At the sight of the violet plums and the red apples and the orange apricots and the pale pink peaches, my mouth watered and I was immediately tempted to take a bite of a few. But just as I was about to pick an apricot, my mind decided that I should collect a few and bring them to Orion.

So I did just that. I conjured up a small straw basket and picked the juicy and delicious fruits as I quietly sang a ballad. If I had been dressed in a knee-length tunic, I would be able to climb up to the highest points of the trees and pick the most delicious fruits from there. But because I was in a dress, I resorted to using my powers instead.

After a few minutes, the basket was filled to the brim, enough to last one whole day. Satisfied with my collection, I picked up the basket and continued on towards the clearing.

The waterfall sounded soft today when I entered the clearing. Everything was silent and serene, even the chirping of the birds high above was like a soft tune.

I caught sight of Orion immediately. He was lying under an oak tree, dressed in only a tunic that was untied, thus showing off his bare chest, and long trousers. He was barefoot, with his feet resting on a folded piece of cloth, and had folded his arms behind his head, serving as a cushion. He had his eyes closed and I could immediately tell that he was asleep from the soft snoring that sounded from him.

I quietly walked closer to him and set down the basket of fruits by his side. I gazed at his sleeping face and saw how peaceful he looked, as though nothing in the world could trouble him at all. My eyes traveled to his left arm, where the linen bandage stayed intact.

I didn't want to wake him up and decided to wait until he does. In the meantime, I munched quietly on an apricot as I gazed at the waterfall.

But my attentions were driven away from the waterfall when I heard him speak.

"You dog… You dare show your face to me... Coward…." I heard him mumble.

I whipped my head around in a flash. I could feel anger starting to bubble inside me and wanted to lash out. How dare he call me that! After all I have done to him! How dare-

But my anger immediately disappeared as suddenly as it appeared when I realized Orion was still deep in sleep.

_He's talking in his sleep…._ I realized. But I became curious as to know about what he was sleep-talking about.

Without even realizing it, I answered him, "And what is wrong if I show my face, Orion the hunter?"

When he heard me answer, his sleepy mumbling voice took on a darker tone. "You dare to act brave now, when you had been so cowardly and gone into hiding instead of facing me like a man when I came after you. That is what's wrong, Oenopion."

Ah, so he was dreaming about that king who had refused him of the princess Merope and who had blinded him.

"I had gone into hiding just to protect my daughter," I said solemnly. "She was nearly put into danger the first time by you. How can I know if you would not put her in danger the second time?"

"Bah!" Orion exclaimed angrily, though his eyes were still squeezed shut. "You just did not want to get yourself killed. That is all. But true, I have put your daughter in danger by my own hands, and I am not afraid to admit that I am remorseful of it. But what can I do when I have lived in loneliness for as long as I remember? My first wife never loved me. She just married me for my fame, and she can still leave me without even leaving a word. The women who I have been with will leave once they have bedded me, for all they wish to seek from me is my body. I have no one save for my father who only speaks to me but never appears. I am lonely for companionship of the closest kind."

So that confirmed my suspicions about him being lonely. Hearing the truth spill from his lips suddenly made my heart feel heavy with sadness. Orion sounded so pitiful when he spoke of being lonely and only wanting companionship. It made me wish to learn more of the troubled soul in the body of the great hunter.

"However, I am thankful that I have now found someone who is willing to give me a chance of companionship."

I snapped back into attention immediately. "Oh? And who is that?" I asked, my voice sounding genuinely curious.

"She is a woman of divinity and power. She is a woman that is better than me," he answered immediately. "She is a woman who can hunt, act and think better than me. A man like you would surely feel shame for being of a lowly status than a woman, but I do not for she treats me as her equal. None is higher and none is lower. She regards that we stand on the same level, and I could not agree more. Furthermore, she is kind, compassionate and generous. She teaches me to become better physically, mentally and spiritually. She hurts me and she apologizes by helping me. She would never break the promises she makes and she would never leave my side if she knows that I needed her. Truly, I am blessed to be with her."

My eyes widened in shock and I blinked repeatedly as I gazed at his sleeping face. As I gazed, many thoughts came into my mind. Did he really think that of me? Did he really think me as kind, compassionate and generous? Did he really think himself blessed to be with me? Did he really mean those words?

My heart suddenly became so overwhelmed with emotion when I heard him speak those words. Those were the most beautiful words I have ever heard. Each word was spoken with pure sincerity. I could sense no lie in his words, and that only made me feel so touched even more.

I took a deep breath to calm myself before I asked the next question.

"Do you think she has feelings for you?"

Orion was silent and I was half-afraid that he wasn't going to answer. But just as I was about to despair, he murmured, "I hope so."

And that was enough for me.

I moved closer to him and knelt right beside him. With one hand, I touched his forehead lightly and gently skimmed it down the side of his face, marveling at how smooth yet slightly scarred his skin was. His breathing hitched at my touch, but he did not wake up.

I withdrew my hand slowly and leaned in closer so that my lips were next to his ear. I whispered softly, "Wake to me, Orion."

As though by magic, he opened his eyes to meet mine, and I was already smiling for him.

* * *

Author's Note:

Cute ending moment is cute!

And Artemis had such a Disney princess moment in the forest :P (e.g. creatures of the forest following her, she petting said creatures lovingly, singing while picking fruits)

Anyway, I got some... unfortunate news to all my avid readers out there. I've finished the school year a few days ago and my parents decided to take me and my 2nd older brother overseas as a reward. I will be leaving for Thailand on Sunday for a holiday and will be coming back to Singapore on Wednesday. So that means that there will be no new chapter on Monday.

On the bright side, updates will resume on Friday :)

Oh, and this is an answer to **_Shadow Huntress_ **(Sorry it took so long! I kind of forgot about replying :P) Artemis doesn't see Gaia (or Gaea, however you prefer it) anymore, but she sometimes reminisces about the time she spent with her in her mystical garden.

So until I update on Friday, I just want to ask a random question from you guys; What do you think is my hair and eye color? Leave your responses in the review box if you wish to answer, and I will reveal the truth next week. If you do not wish to answer, then it's alright.

See you next week! Sorry for the wait :(

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	18. Chapter 17

**_Uncertain Heart_**

Orion smiled a tired smile and greeted in a voice still thick with sleep, "Hello there, Artemis."

He let out a jaw-cracking yawn and I shifted back a bit as he sat up and stretched languidly, a tired moan sounding from deep within his throat. As he ran his fingers through his messy bronze hair and his eyes repeatedly blinked as it slowly got used to the light around us, he asked, "How long have you been here? Hope you haven't been waiting long."

I gulped when he asked me that and I knew what I wanted to tell him.

I wanted to tell him that I had been here for about fifteen minutes, waiting for him to wake up. I wanted to tell him that I had listened to his interesting dream conversation with Oenopion. I wanted to tell him that I had listened to what he said about me. I wanted to tell him that his words were beautiful and kind.

But instead, I just told him, "I just got here." I told him those simple four words because I felt that what I had heard just now should be cherished by me a little longer and maybe even to save him from some embarrassment, if that was the emotion he were to feel when he discovered he had said that, what's more unknowingly, in my presence.

He nodded once in acknowledgement while he rubbed away the sands of sleep from his eyes with a fist. "That's good. If that is so, then I don't have to worry about causing you to wait so long."

When his hand stopped rubbing and left his eyes to rub at the nape of his neck, his eyes traveled to me and he immediately froze in a mixture of shock and surprise.

"What?" I asked, wondering why he was staring at me so funnily.

He seemed to have come out of some sort of stupor, for he immediately started blinking rapidly and cleared his throat. "Nothing, nothing," he stammered. "I just realized that you're wearing a dress again. And…. well….. you look very lovely. Just as you always are... W-wait! I mean-"

This was the second time I have received a compliment from Orion about my looks, and like the first time, it was very flattering.

I let out a soft giggle and simply thanked him, thus stopping his stammering. Orion gave me a small smile before his gaze then averted from me to the full basket of assorted fruits at his side.

"Oh. I picked those for you," I informed him. I picked up the basket by its side handles and held it up to his face. "I figured that you might be hungry, since you couldn't hunt, so I brought a lot just in case."

The look on his face was one of relief and thankfulness. "I am hungry, to be honest. Thank you very much."

Orion grabbed the closest fruit that was within his reach; a round pale rosy pink peach. He did not bother to break it in half and just immediately took a big bite out of the plump and tender flesh of the fruit. Some of the juice dribbled down his chin, which he wiped away with the back of his hand.

As he ate, I set the basket down and proceeded to study the bandage on his left arm. I noticed now that it was slightly dirtied by dirt and stained by water, but otherwise it looked intact.

"Let me see your wound," I told him. Upon command, he just gave me his arm obediently and stayed still while I unwind the bandage. I did my work slowly and carefully while he ate his peach and watched me. When the strip of linen cloth was finally off him, I laid my eyes on the wound.

It was slowly healing, that I could tell, but still quite open. The edges of the wound were dried and scabbed, and there was a thin layer of pus covering the top. It looked disgusting and I knew that infection was absolute if it wasn't treated properly and immediately.

"At least it's slightly better…." I murmured to myself. "Thankfully, I brought you something that would help."

"And what's that?" he asked curiously, flicking the peach seed to the ground and grabbing a red apple from the basket.

I made the soiled linen bandage in my hands disappear and conjured up the small crystal vial of ambrosia in its place. Orion's teeth was about to bite into the apple when he suddenly stopped just as his teal green eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the vial.

"What's that?"

"It is ambrosia," I told him informatively. Immediately, Orion's mouth fell open and the apple fell off his hand and rolled away onto the grass.

"The drink of the gods?" he questioned in astonishment. When I nodded my head in confirmation, he asked, "Why do you want to give something so precious to me?"

Feeling the smooth diamond shape of crystal in between my fingertips, I answered, "Other than gifting immortality to those who consume it, ambrosia has many healing properties and can cure even the worst plagues of illnesses. Its power is even more potent than the best medicine that the best healers on Earth can provide. If I were to anoint some on your wound, it would close up instantly without leaving any complications."

"Wow, that's amazing," he responded in awe. "So you're going to put some on me?"

I nodded my head and proceeded to take off the cap. In an instant, the enchantingly sweet perfume of the ethereal drink escaped the vial and wafted in the air between us. While I am used to its delicious and enticing fragrance, due to consuming the liquid on a daily basis, Orion immediately became intoxicated by the scent.

"By the Gods, that is truly divine…." he murmured in an awed and drunken voice.

"It is, isn't it?" I simply replied.

Then, I conjured up a small piece of clean cotton cloth and folded it into a perfect square. I tipped the vial slightly and poured some of the sweet-smelling liquid onto the cloth before I brought it closer to the wound. Gently, I began to dab at it.

"Ow," Orion hissed sharply upon the first dab. I pulled away immediately and looked at him uncertainly. "It's just a small sting," he said weakly with a small smile. Then he waved towards the wound, saying, "Go on. I think I will be able to handle the rest."

I took a deep breath and continued on with my task at hand. I saw Orion purse his lips slightly, but otherwise he looked to be in no pain. Nonetheless, I became extra careful and gentle with my ministrations towards his injury.

Thankfully, with many more dabs, the wound slowly began to close up. The scabbed areas disappeared and became smooth skin, just as the thin film of pus evaporated. I smiled to myself when I finally pulled my hand away and saw no trace of the wound ever being inflicted onto his skin. It was absolutely smooth and flawless.

Orion saw the result as well, and was completely amazed.

"Woah…" he breathed. "It looks as good as new."

I nodded in agreement as I made the drenched cloth in my hand disappear. "That is the power of ambrosia, Orion. And to think, that just by drinking one cup of the divine liquid, one can be granted eternal immortality."

"Truly, that is amazing," he mused. I watched as he flexed his bicep, taking note of the way his muscles tense and relaxed. "Huh, not even a sore," he said in amazement. "There is no pain at all."

I nodded in agreement again as I drank up the remaining amount of ambrosia in the vial. There was still quite a good amount, so I figured that I shouldn't let it go to waste. Besides, I was quite thirsty.

"So," I began when I finished up the ambrosia, leaving the vial completely empty, "What do you want to do today? Since I'm not dressed properly, hunting is out of the question. Besides, I still want you to rest a bit before you resume. Better to be safe than sorry."

Orion scratched his chin as his eyes looked thoughtful. "We can go for a walk by the seaside," he suggested. Then, grabbing onto one handle of the small straw basket of fruits, he added, "Maybe we can also have a picnic, considering this very generous amount of fruits you've brought."

A walk by the seaside did not sound like such a bad idea, to be honest. The day was nice and beautiful without any signs of bad weather. And a picnic sounded lovely as well.

"Sounds good," I agreed. I stood up, discreetly brushing away any bits of grass and dirt that stuck onto the dress on my backside, and was about to grab the basket when Orion suddenly made a move for it. I jumped back a bit at his sudden motion, looking at him with a confused frown.

"Allow me to do it," he said politely. "I know that you are capable of carrying it, considering that this basket of fruits may feel like a bag of feathers in your goddess hands, but I feel that it is more mannerly if I do it."

Well, what a gentleman he was.

"Alright then," I said. "Let's go."

And briskly, we walked out of the clearing side-by-side.

* * *

From the plush dark orange armchair that she was sitting upon, with her fingers busy on needlework, Leto stole glances at Apollo, who was standing in front of a window with his hands interlocked behind his back and his sky blue eyes looking out of it silently. He had been like that for a few minutes, and she was getting tired of waiting for him to speak.

"My son, standing there and staring blankly out of the window will not help you so much. Would you finally care to tell me what bothers you?" Leto asked, breaking the silence.

Apollo looked away from window to her and found that her royal blue eyes were intent on her working fingers, but he could tell that her attentions were concentrated solely on him.

He sighed as he moved to sit on the edge of her mother's bed. He did not leave to see Cliantha, for he was still furious with her about the conversation yesterday. And though he had expected it, he was still slightly annoyed when Artemis left that morning, no doubt to see her _precious _hunter. Wanting some form of affection, he went to the room of his mother.

"Something tells me that it has something to do with your sister," Leto suddenly said.

Apollo groaned silently on the inside. He loved his mother very much, but he sometimes found it slightly disturbing that she was able to know what exactly was on his mind without him even saying a single word of it.

"You always do know everything, Mother," he muttered under his breath.

"I'm your mother, that's why," she replied with a smirk before becoming serious once again. "And something tells me that it has got to do with her hunter, Orion. Do not deny it, Apollo."

"Yes," Apollo admitted on the spot. "It bothers me that she is spending a lot of time with him."

"But she still spends time with you, doesn't she?" Leto pointed out knowingly.

"Yes, but not as much as before. She used to always be there for me immediately when I needed her. She was always eager to do something with me immediately. But now…. it's not like that."

"So you want your sister to be at your beck and call?" Leto asked with a raised eyebrow.

Apollo could not believe what his mother had just said. "NO!" he exclaimed with an outburst. "How could you say that?! Of course I don't wish for her to be like that!"

Leto set aside her needlework on a small table beside the chair and focused her eyes completely on Apollo. "But it seems to me that it is what you wish for. Is it wrong for Artemis to spend some time with a friend? You allow her to spend time with Hermes or Dionysus, so why not Orion?"

Getting off the bed and pacing pointlessly in front of her, he replied, "Because I trust Hermes and Dionysus, but I don't trust Orion. I have gained stories about him from those who have heard of him before and found out that he had nearly _raped _a mortal princess! Now imagine if he attempted to do the same to Artemis?"

Leto shuddered as the thought of her daughter getting raped flashed into her mind. The thought of her precious Artemis being ravished scared her, of course. For a split second, she was reminded of another giant named Otus, who had attempted the same thing and would have nearly succeeded a few years ago. Thank Mount Olympus that her daughter's wit and cunning enabled her to escape.

"Artemis has outsmarted two giants and escaped the situation once, so I have confidence that if it were to happen again, she would do the same thing," Leto simply replied.

Apollo was dissatisfied with his mother's answer. Yes, Artemis was extremely capable of fighting off dangers that threatened her, but that wasn't what really bothered him, to be honest. Though his sister's safety mattered greatly to him, it was the state of her friendship with Orion that did.

"Okay, you may be right about that. But other than that, don't you think that she's spending _too _much time with him?" he asked her incredulously.

Now Leto became confused. "What do you mean?" she asked her son with a questionable frown.

Without a moment's hesitation, Apollo explained, "Artemis is a sworn virgin, Mother. And being a sworn maiden usually means that they should have little to no contact with other men that are not of their kin. It would seem a bit too suspicious, wouldn't it?"

After hearing his words, Leto considered her thoughts for a few seconds before replying, "I don't suppose it means exactly like that. Being a sworn maiden means that you have proclaimed that you will be forever chaste and not give up their virginity to anyone at all. That doesn't mean that a sworn virgin cannot be friends with someone out of her family, especially one who no longer has virginity. Honestly, Apollo, why would you ever think otherwise?"

Tartarus be damned, but whatever his mother had said was absolutely right, and she was also smart enough to point out that he would even think otherwise. But Apollo could not appease the bothersome nagging feeling inside him that there was more to Artemis and Orion than just plain friendship.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he did not realize that his mother had stood from her chair and walked towards him until he felt her hands gently cupping the sides of his jaw and tilting his head up to look at her in the eye.

"You are afraid that Artemis would abandon you, aren't you?" she questioned gently.

And at that moment, something akin to discomfort stabbed Apollo immediately in the gut.

All it took was the expression on his face to give Leto the answer.

"My son, I know for sure that your older sister will never forget about you. She never will, for she loves and cares for you too much. But please. Understand that she too has the right to be with whoever she wishes to be, whether or not he is a god, a demigod or a simple mortal."

Apollo dropped his gaze to the floor. He didn't like to be in this sort of situation, where it was obvious that he was quite on the wrong side. Maybe what his mother said was right; that he should just give it a chance.

But unfortunately, those feelings did not last when he heard what Leto said next.

"And you must also be willing to accept the fact that Artemis and Orion's friendship may become something more in the future."

He immediately but gently grasped his mother's wrists and pulled her hands away from his face as he stood up and impulsively walked away from her. Leto only stared at him in shock, and could only hear him say, "I'm sorry, Mother. But I don't think I can bear that thought."

And just like that, Apollo left the room, shutting the door in his wake.

He walked aimlessly in the hallway, trying hard to clear his thoughts and set his feelings straight. But it all seemed hopeless. Why? Why did he feel like this? Why did he feel so protective, angry, agitated and what not? Why could he not just be calm and collected about it like the rest? Why did it bother only him?

Apollo felt so frustrated that, without thinking, he turned on his heel and punched the closest thing within reach; a ceramic vase that had once stood on the marble floor proudly, but was now broken into pieces and fragments on the floor. The sound of the vase breaking seemed to echo throughout the hallway, lingering in the air for a few more seconds before it completely fell into silence.

He could only stare at the fragments on the floor in disbelief. Did he seriously just did that? He could not believe it. He could not believe that he had let his anger the better of him and threw him into a blind fit of rage. That was so …. unnatural of him; the Sun God who was famously known to be calm and wise.

Guilt set upon him immediately and he made quick to repair the broken vase with his powers. One by one, the pieces fitted and stuck themselves together until it formed the beautiful vase that it once was yet again. After adjusting it to get it in a better position, Apollo walked away from the scene quickly.

But it was no less than ten seconds when he was stopped once again.

He did not see where he was going, thus it had caused him to bump into someone at an intersection of the corridors. He turned around quickly to apologize to whoever it was, and saw that it was Hebe.

"I'm so sorry, Hebe," he apologized earnestly. "I didn't see where I was going."

Ever so kind Hebe did nothing more but smile at him understandingly. "It's alright, Apollo. There was no harm done," she assured him. But then, she looked at him with concern in her bright caramel eyes and asked, "Are you alright? You seem very tense."

He was very tense, in fact. Even he himself knew that. By the Gods, he had just broken a vase a few seconds ago when he accidentally flew into rage!

"Yes, I am," he quietly admitted. But unfortunately, the following words spilled from his lips before he could stop them. "About Artemis."

Hebe then nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, she too seems worried."

"About what?" he asked suddenly, his eyebrow raised and his expression curious.

Pushing a curly lock of golden brown hair behind her ear, she replied, "Well, she had asked me for ambrosia right after breakfast and, when I inquired why, she told me this morning that her hunter, Orion, had been hurt the previous day due to a fall. His injuries were not fatal, but some were serious. She really did seem so concerned about him to go as far as to want to heal him herself."

Apollo only stared at her as she spoke, but he did not pay attention to her words except for _one _line.

"What did you say?" he suddenly questioned.

Hebe cleared her throat and spoke again. "I said that Artemis' hunter, Orion, had a fall-"

"No, no, no, no. Not that," he said impulsively, cutting her off mid-sentence. "That part. The part about ambrosia. My sister had asked for it from you?"

Hebe became confused at his sudden exasperated expression, but calmly nodded. "She said that she wished to use it to heal Orion's wounds," she explained.

And in that instant, suspicion and disbelief overcame Apollo in tidal waves, and he felt as though time had come to a standstill and the shroud of fear and uncertainty was beginning to smolder him.

"Apollo…. Is….everything alright?" Hebe quietly inquired, becoming quite frightened by how dead silent he had suddenly become.

Apollo said nothing. He just turned away from his half-sister and walked away in a rush, leaving her stunned and staring after him in confusion. With each step, unpleasant thoughts began to fill up his mind.

_No, no, no, no, no….._ he thought to himself._ Artemis would never do that…. She wouldn't just take ambrosia and give it to _him _to drink it….She wouldn't be foolish enough to do it…. Maybe what Hebe said was right…. Maybe she just wanted to use it to heal him…._

_But…. But that could be a lie…. A deceitful lie…. She could have had the intention to make him immortal, and just kept it away from the others…_

That very thought became too much for him to bear already.

Apollo wanted to scream his rage. He wanted to scream of how he wanted to forbid his sister to spend any more time with _that giant_. He wanted to scream of how he felt threatened by _him_ being in his precious sister's company. He wanted to scream about how he was afraid that Artemis would forget about him because of _that demigod_.

He wanted to scream about how he was afraid that Artemis might develop deeper feelings for Orion.

Apollo wanted to scream, but he remained in silence.

It was excruciating.

* * *

Author's Note:

Merry meet, my wonderful readers! I am once again back in action! :D Did you miss me?

Thailand was great! Spent nearly the entire time at beautiful beaches. As a result, I am completely tanned now. But anyway, the food there was absolutely delish!

So anyway, to those who participated in my guessing game last week, I have to say that all of you are completely correct that I have dark hair, but only **three **readers got it completely right. So congratulations _**HadesXPersephone4ever**_, _**Kira1399**_ and _**littlekittycat2012**_!

I have straight blackish-brown hair (like Artemis!) that falls past my shoulder blades and dark brown eyes.

Free internet cookies to the three of you! But to those who participated, free cookies to you to!

Anyway, now I shall accept the challenge bestowed upon me by **_Shadow_ Huntress**. Bear in my mind that I may not be correct :P I will have to guess that you have dark blonde hair with bluish-grey eyes. Once again, forgive me if I am wrong.

So, about this chapter. This focuses mainly on Apollo, more specifically about the mood swings he experiences due to his intense dislike of the idea of Artemis with Orion. Yes, I know that this chapter may make him seem a bit bi-polar (or a drama queen), but he is now seriously too engulfed in the thought of Orion being a menace to Artemis to even think straight any more. Watch out! Overprotective and insanely jealous younger twin brother is about to make an appearance!

So hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I shall see you guys on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	19. Chapter 18

_**A Story and A Conversation**_

With the warmth of the bright, late afternoon sun, the sounds of the crashing waves upon the sand and the cawing of seagulls as they flew over the dark turquoise sea, and the fresh, surprisingly refreshing and delicious smell of sea salt in the breeze, it was such a perfect atmosphere to relax in.

Underneath an overhead canopy of leafy branches of a tree, which also helped to provide good shade, Orion and I were both lying on a soft and downy sunset yellow blanket, which I had conjured up, atop the soft, white and powdery sand. Above our heads were the straw basket of fruits, which already had half of its contents gone, and two wooden cups of fruit juice, which the juices had been extracted from the said fruits in the basket.

I was lying on my side, gazing at Orion, who was lying flat on his back with his arms crossed behind his head, acting as a cushion. As he gazed up above at the canopy of leafy branches, he was telling me a story of how he was sent to hunt down a ferocious mountain lion during his time in Chios, when he was still a royal hunter for Oenopion. His voice was full of enthusiasm and drama as he spoke, which kept me intrigued.

"After hours of chasing it down, I was finally face-to-face with the monstrous lion at twilight in that grove between the two mountains. The air was so still and silent that I swear you could hear the rapid fluttering of a hummingbird's wings as it flew. The tension of the situation heightened when the beast slowly moved towards me to show off that he was intimidating and not one to mess with. But I did not even take an inch back for I wanted to show him that I did not fear him. I kept steady ground with my right hand gripping my club firmly. I growled menacingly at it as it does to me."

"Interesting," I breathed, totally intent on the story. I was absentmindedly palming a dark violet plum, which I had forgotten to eat, in my left hand as I kept my eyes focused on him. "Come on, continue."

"Right. Then, in just a split second, the lion pushed itself on the paws of its hind legs and launched its whole form at me. The paws of his front legs already adorned razor sharp claws that were just waiting to turn me into shreds. But unfortunately for it, my iron club was all ready in my hand, and I struck it right across the beast's face when the right moment arrived."

"That's fantastic."

"Thank you. Anyway, when the lion was finally on the ground, I wasted no time and threw myself onto it. I landed belly-first on its back and quickly wrapped an arm around his neck. I was about to give it a blow from my mighty club, but it got out of its shocked state and started thrashing around violently to get me off. The damn thing even tried to reach me with its paw in hopes of being able to at least scratch my face! Fortunately, I managed to hang on for my dear life. But unfortunately, the club got out of my hand and fell to the ground just a few feet away."

"What?" I exclaimed with a squeak as I sat up, my eyes still stuck on him but now with a slight frown. "Tartarus, Orion! Seriously? Why didn't you be more careful?"

Orion followed suit and sat up as well, shifting closer to me a bit until our arms were just only about an inch apart. He propped up his knees and rested his elbow on them as a smirk began to play at his lips and he looked at me with what seemed to be a glint in his eyes.

"Don't fret, Artemis! Relax! It's not as if I died or anything, right? If not, I wouldn't even be here at this moment. Why, I wouldn't even have met you!" he chuckled in amusement.

I just stared at him with a frown for a few seconds before muttering under my breath, "True, true," and then saying, "Continue?"

Orion nodded. "I thought that I was damned. I knew very well that it would definitely not be easy to kill the monster without help from my mighty club. Even with the strength inherited from my godly side, it might still not be enough to kill the lion. I had to think of something fast to get my club back in my hand. But how do I do that without allowing the lion the chance to maim me if I let it go?"

"Indeed, Orion. How do you do that?"

When a proud grin broke out on his lips, he started talking excitedly with multiple hand gestures. "Well, here is what I did. With all the strength I could muster, I forcefully flipped it over and did a roll once until the big kitten was flat on the ground. Then, I brought my fist upon its head, making it stunned for just a few seconds, but just enough time for me to make a dash for my club. But just as my fingers wrapped themselves around the handle, the lion jumped onto me! I was extremely taken by surprise and the damn thing even managed to scratch my back!"

"See! You should have been more careful!" I chided him gently but sternly, giving him a slight push to his arm.

Orion did nothing but grin and laugh sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Artemis, but look on the bright side! I managed to get the upper hand and give a few blows to the lion. Its pained roar made my eardrums throb and it affected the whole forest as well. I could see birds flying off from their places on branches in panic, I could hear the stomping of hooves and paws as the many forest creatures ran off in shock, and I could feel the ground tremble beneath me from both the creatures' frenzied running and the fervent movement of the mountain lion near me."

"Wow. That sounds intense," I commented with a smirk.

"Oh, it gets better," he informed me cheerily. "I willed myself to stand tall and strike him a few more times. With each strike of my club, the more angrier he got. I swear you could see his menacing eyes turn bloodshot in rage and showcase its absolute intent to kill me and make me its meal. But I won't give it that chance. I was at a more advantage than he was at that moment."

"Oh? How so?" I inquired with a quirked eyebrow and curiosity in my tone.

"I guess the blows to his head caused him to lose focus. He tried to launch himself at me again, but his move was slow and sloppy, and I managed to get out of the way with a lot of seconds to spare. It skidded to a halt all too late, for I have thrown myself on its back once again and pummeled its head with my club repeatedly. I didn't know for exactly how long I have been at it, but before I knew it, the skies were dark, the stars were out, the air was silent, and the lion lay dead below me."

Orion paused to gently take away the plum that was still in my hand. I let him take it without resistance, and watched as he pointlessly juggled the purple fruit between his own two hands, his teal green eyes following the plum.

"I was so satisfied that it was all over that I let out a cry of victory. Nothing else could be heard except me. I was ruining the peace that the night was given. But I didn't care. I was just grateful that finally, after days of going after that murderous mountain lion that had claimed the lives of many innocents, I finally managed to maim it."

"Then what did you do to it?" I asked, taking back the plum from his hands and juggling it in my own for a while before tossing it back to him.

Orion expertly caught the plum swiftly and took a big bite out of it first. He chewed it for a while, his eyes looking as though they were trying to recall more to the memory. When he swallowed, he replied, "I carried it on my shoulders all the way back to the kingdom. When I had stepped into the boundaries, the first few people who laid their eyes on me were immediately stricken with shock, awe and amazement. It was silent at first as I walked towards the palace, but slowly, the cheers of the villagers erupted and it filled my head. All sang of praises towards me and some even came up to personally congratulate me. And when I finally walked into the palace and into the throne room, Oenopion feasted his eyes upon the beast and his mouth fell open in shock. He wasted no time and ordered for the creature to be skinned to use as his own ornament."

And then, suddenly, I noticed a change in his expression. Orion's eyes dropped to the ground and he became silent. The hand holding the plum was fidgeting slightly, but it was not until I noticed juice dripping from the plum that I realized he was actually squeezing it.

Before I could inquire about his sudden mood change, I heard him quietly mutter, "And even Merope had been there to see it, and she smiled at me."

Ah, the princess and his would-have-been wife. Somehow, just the mention of her made my mood sour slightly. I hung my head a bit, looking blankly at the blanket beneath me. In the meantime, Orion continued to consume the crushed plum in his hand, gazing at the sea.

After a few minutes of silence between us, my hand traveled to place itself on Orion's shoulder and give him a reassuring squeeze. Despite the fact I felt uncomfortable at the mention of that princess, I still felt the need to comfort him, to remind him that he no longer was in the horrible past and instead here beside me.

From the corner of my eye, I could see him smile and his own hand went up to place itself atop my own. He pulled my hand away from his shoulder gently, but he held onto it in between us. My eyes slid over to our entwined hands for a moment before I lifted my gaze to find him still smiling at me.

"And that concludes the end of my story," he proclaimed. "How did you think of it?"

Moving my gaze back to our hands, I thought of an answer, considering my words carefully. "Well, it was indeed very entertaining. And intriguing. Dramatic at some points. Overall, you told your story like how your father tells his."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes seemed to be perking up.

I simply shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "I guess. The way you were when you told your story really reminded me quite a bit of Poseidon. Just another 'like father, like son' trait."

Judging by his looks, Orion seemed proud of that fact. It suddenly reminded me that he had never actually met Poseidon before, so I wondered why he was so happy. But then I kind of figured that just the thought of being similar to his father, no matter what it was, brought somewhat of a comforting feeling to him, thus helping him feel close to his never-seen-before sire.

I cocked my head to the side and looked at him curiously as I suddenly asked, "Do you miss your adventures, Orion?"

Orion's eyes traveled heavenwards, once again gazing at the canopy of branches above us, as he quirked his lips, thinking of an answer. All the while, he still hasn't let go of my hand.

"Kind of," he finally answered, turning his head to look back at me. "I kind of miss the adventure and the sights, but staying here on Crete isn't really so bad. I could relax and hunt for as much as I want, without anyone to complain or have trouble with. Okay, maybe it makes me a little bit lazy, but still, it's really comfortable. I mean, you do have to settle down once in a while, right?"

I nodded my head in agreement, my eyes tracing back to our still-entwined hands. The picture of our hands holding each other was really becoming distracting, but I was not going to ruin it. It looked as though it…. belonged like that.

Wait…. what?

"And how of you?"

I looked up from our hands and back at him. "I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

Orion slowly let go of my hand to plant his hands behind on the blanket to stabilize him as he leaned back slightly, being mindful of the basket of fruits and the two wooden cups of fruit juice behind us. I was now slightly missing the feel of his hand around mine, but I did not let that show and slowly pulled it away to place it on my lap.

"What's life as a goddess?" he asked, staring ahead at the sea. "Or a better question; what is life as an Olympian? An almighty deity? Don't mind me but I truly am curious? What comes with being a goddess?"

That question kind of surprised me, because I began to _actually _think about what came with being a goddess.

What did come with being a goddess?

I know that I could only speak for myself as a Goddess of the Hunt, the Wild, the Moon, Chastity and Fertility. I could only speak of the duties I had to the wildlands and its creatures, young maidens and women who wish for easy birthing of their babies. I cannot speak for the other deities like Aphrodite, who held power over love and beauty, or Dionysus, who reigned over the ecstasy of wine and the art of theater.

"Well…." I began, though my tone still quite uncertain. "I can't speak for the others, but I can tell you that it isn't all fun and games. Sure, you can get nearly anything to your advantage, but if you're really the most hardworking of deities, you would remember the mortals who pray to you every day to help ease their burden."

"So you just answer anybody who prays to you?" he inquired.

I shook my head lightly. "Only if they are worthy of it. If their heart is pure and they are earnest and sincere of their prayers, then I will answer it. But if they are ruthless and only pray to me for cruel intentions, I will not answer it. I would even give misery to them for even daring to pray for such a terrible thing, whatever the deed."

Orion nodded in understanding. "That seems right. Why answer the prayers of someone who does not deserve it or only wishes to use it for terrible intentions?"

But then I sighed. "Unfortunately, some deities do just that."

That seemed to shock him a bit. "Why?" he asked.

"It's because they use it for their own selfish needs," I told him. "They grant the prayers of a vile soul, knowing very well that it would hurt or spite someone they despise."

I was suddenly overcome with loathe when I mentioned that last statement. I laid back down on my back, my hands folded on my stomach, and looked up at the leafy canopy above me. "Sometimes, I don't know why some of the other gods and goddesses do such a thing just for petty revenge," I sighed. "Can they not learn to walk away or just let it go after a while? Why do they waste their time plotting to make someone's life as miserable as Tartarus when they could just let it go?"

Beside me, Orion too laid back down, his posture akin to mine. "I do not know, Artemis," he replied with somewhat a hint of distaste in his voice. "But I guess that's how most of us were created."

The last part made my eyebrows pull together in a confused frown. "What do you mean by that?" I inquired as I turned my head to face him, looking at him curiously.

He too turned his head to meet his gaze with mine. "The reason that those spiteful and revengeful would commit such acts is usually fueled by anger, which is already one of the feelings we experience in our daily lives. Sometimes, the anger can burn throughout us so much that we don't even think of the consequences our actions may lead. All we can only think about is just to hurt the person we are angry towards; either directly or indirectly. Some may regret it immediately afterwards, or some may continue to harbor it for who knows how long. That's just how all of us were created; to have different reactions to anger."

Orion's speech really made me fall into a long train of thought. I do not deny that his words were impressive; they were so deep. The way he spoke of it so knowledgeably and thoughtfully certainly did impress me. I could easily tell that he meant them earnestly and sincerely. That just impressed me even more. What's more I realized now that he had been one of those revengeful and spiteful before, but I could see now that he had learned how to let go.

He took notice of my awestruck expression then and asked with a smirk, "Are you taken aback by my words, Artemis?"

I simply nodded my head in confirmation. "Yes, to be honest," I admitted. "I never expected to hear such words from you."

Orion only smiled and shrugged his shoulders lightly. "There are a lot of words that I keep inside me which I wish to speak of, but most of them are not of the right time as of yet."

_I know… _I suddenly said to myself in mind. _Maybe what you said in your sleep about me was what you wish to speak of, but you still think it isn't the right time yet._

On cue, those words that he spoke of me suddenly reappeared in my mind. It was amazing that I actually bothered to remember what he had said word-by-word. But I was glad that I did. The more I recalled those sentences, the more I felt a very comforting feeling inside me grow.

Absentmindedly, without looking, I reached a hand into the basket behind me. But it was not fruits that my hand made contact with, but another hand.

I got out of my trance-like state and look at Orion, who apparently had been reaching into the basket at the same time. We gazed at each other for a few seconds before chuckling in response. I pulled my hand away while he grabbed fruits for both of us; a peach for me and an apple for him.

All the while, I was still very much aware that we were just about an inch apart from each other, but none of us complained.

* * *

Apollo had already started bringing down the sun when Mount Olympus was in my sight, and I cursed myself for nearly being late. But then again, I was so sure that Apollo wouldn't commence until I've arrived.

I flew my chariot straight towards my silvery moon and guided it upwards, my mind focused on the task at hand. But thanks to _years _of performing it, I could have done it with my eyes closed.

Finally, when the moon glowed a bright silvery-white aura that gave light to the dark mortal lands below, I commanded my steeds to return to Mount Olympus and they obeyed willingly.

But when their hooves and the wheels of my moonstone chariot had already touched Olympus ground and once I myself had set my own two feet on the said ground, I was immediately greeted by a familiar commanding voice.

"You gave him ambrosia?"

With a groan, I turned to confront Apollo, who was already standing right behind me, glaring at me with absolute fury in his sky blue eyes.

* * *

Author's Note:

Let me just tell all of you that this chapter was a real headache.

I've had since Friday to write this chapter out, but I was immediately struck by major writer's block and couldn't think of anything to write until Sunday morning. I became like some sort of headless chicken and immediately threw myself into planning and forcing myself to type out words. I was so troubled by the lack of progress that I didn't even sleep at all. I just continued typing and typing and typing until I FINALLY managed to get it done on Monday morning at 5.30 am (Monday morning in Asia Sunday night in Europe Sunday morning in America). After finally finishing the chapter, I found myself unable to sleep and threw myself into writing the next chapter. What's more I had drama practice from 9am to 12pm, and I didn't take even a short nap. All I did was drank a can of mocha to keep me awake. But luckily, when I got home from practice, I immediately fell onto my bed and slept like a log for **5 hours**.

Okay, some of you may think that I was going a bit overboard. But I just want to tell you that's how I am. I won't be satisfied to do anything else until I get the task at hand done. I kind of have really minor OCD that's not really serious but still a problem if triggered and I'm a slight perfectionist. My best friend (who knows I'm a fanfiction author) actually suggested that I should probably skip Monday's update and take a break, but I didn't obey.

Please don't think I'm a freak. I just feel the need that I should keep my promise to you guys to have Monday and Friday updates. Besides, I love typing out new chapters, so I don't complain about it too much. I also like to see you guys satisfied with my work and that's good enough already. But I apologize if you think this chapter isn't really going anywhere with the story. However, I do promise you that it does, and I just hope you can stick with me to the end.

Anyway, on a lighter note, to all my Hades and Persephone fans; I have a new one-shot out about our favourite Underworld couple titled **_All That_** _**Mattered**_. Hope you can check it out, and maybe leave a review? :)

So I shall see you guys on Friday. And for some reason, I feel the need to tell you guys that I love you :)

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	20. Chapter 19

**_Assumptions_**

As his older twin sister, I knew very well that Apollo would never be confrontational towards me unless I had really done something wrong that was capable of triggering that trait in him. And apparently, I did. Though, in my opinion, there was really nothing wrong with what I had done.

I didn't even have half a mind to deny it. What he had just said was, in fact, true, so might as well I just go calmly with this and only hope that my brother does not become too much for me to handle.

"Who told you?" I inquired calmly, ignoring his question and countering it with my own. I stood tall (though I had to tilt my head up slightly to look at him because he was taller than me by a few inches) and firm, my arms crossed and my face pulled into an expression of confidence. I was not going to act scared and instead face up to him bravely and confidently.

I locked my stare on him and as his sky blue eyes bore daggers into my midnight blue ones, he answered in a hard voice, "Hebe mentioned it to me. And maybe now you would care to explain to me why exactly did you want to give him ambrosia."

Hebe was the last person I would suspect of reporting anything about me to Apollo, but I knew that she did not do it on purpose. She could have just randomly brought it up to him without knowing that he would react like this if he heard of what I did. Unfortunately, I could not stop it. It already happened and I will just have to get through this pointless confrontation.

"He was injured," I answered coolly. "He fell from a high branch of a tree and he got a gash on his arm. It was pretty bad, and I needed to help him. I only took a small vial to heal the wound. Nothing more, nothing less."

Apollo did not say anything. He just continued to stare into my eyes with a frown, his lips pursed tightly. I kept my calm façade and stance on, but inside, I was feeling slightly uncomfortable by how absolutely silent he was.

"You're not telling the entire truth," he finally said in a monotone voice.

I groaned aloud inwardly. Seriously? I really did not want to put up with his stubbornness right now. It was going to take me a lot to convince him

"Yes, I am," I responded defensively. "I did take ambrosia to heal his-"

"Not that," he said immediately, cutting me off mid-sentence. "It's the part about him getting the gash on his arm. I can see it in your eyes that you are not telling the truth about that. It wasn't from the fall."

Oh, damn it! I had forgotten the fact that Apollo was extremely good at seeing through lies. He could do it better than me even. Now the last thing I needed was him to question me about how Orion actually got the injury. I did not want to admit it because I was still feeling immensely guilty that it had been my arrow which had caused it, despite the fact that I had been able to heal it with ambrosia.

Unfortunately, Apollo just had to ask, "Tell me the truth, Artemis. How exactly did he get that gash?"

I knew very well that telling another lie would be completely pointless too. If Apollo had managed to see through the first one, than he would surely be able to see through another. So, despite the fact that I honestly and truly did not want to, I had no choice but to (begrudgingly) tell him the truth.

I let out a breath that I hadn't really realized I had been holding in and unfolded my arms, letting them fall limply to my sides. "Okay, fine," I muttered under my breath as I continued to hold my gaze with his. "I did it, alright?"

That definitely shocked Apollo a bit. "What?" he said in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "You? You did it?"

"It was an accident!" I exclaimed immediately and almost desperately. "He was on a branch while I was taking aim at a boar. But when I released the arrow, the branch he was on broke and he fell, and the arrow managed to graze his arm. If I had heard the breaking of the branch beforehand, I never would have shot that arrow."

Well, that was certainly quite tough to get out of my chest. But thankfully, that seemed to have softened Apollo a bit, because his glare disappeared, though his frown stayed. But it turned from a frown of anger to a frown of concern.

"Alright, alright. I believe you on that one," he muttered. "I know you would never do something like that on purpose. Unless there was a reason for you to do so." And then, he inquired incredulously, "Unless he did something to make you upset?"

I shook my head immediately. "Of course, he didn't," I said in a defensive voice. "Orion has never done anything to upset me. Even until now."

At that, Apollo suddenly pursed his lips once again and I swear that I might have seen a hint of rage in his eyes. It was like a sharp glint for a split second before it disappeared because he suddenly slid his eyes shut.

"Okay then," he muttered under his breath. He then exhaled air through his nostrils and opened his eyes once again. His bright blue orbs held no malice now, but they were still hard-edged. His frown too has never left his face, thus maintaining his serious and confrontational image.

"I believe you on that part," he told me seriously. "But it's the part about you giving him ambrosia-"

This time, I was the one who cut him off. "I'm being completely honest with you, Apollo. I did only take just a small vial of ambrosia to cure him. Just to cure him. That was it. What do you think I would have done?"

A change came upon Apollo then. His frown disappeared, the tenseness in him disappeared and an almost-guilty look appeared in his eyes as he turned away from me to the side. With his hands now on his hips, he murmured, "I thought that you…. gave it to him to drink."

"WHAT?!"

I had absolutely no intention to outburst, but what Apollo said really baffled me. Why in Taratrus would he think I gave ambrosia to Orion for him to drink it? Did he honestly think I was that stupid to just give away the extremely sacred drink of the gods to anyone's hands?! Tartarus, I didn't even give Orion the vial to touch!

I grabbed Apollo's shoulder and turned him to face me again. He looked absolutely worried for my reaction, glancing at me for only about a second before looking back down at the ground. Well, he should be worried. I was not going to be easy if he refused to tell me exactly _what_ had gotten into his mind to make him ask such an absurd question.

"Why would you think I would do that?" I questioned him, but gave no time for him to answer. "Ambrosia is sacred; that I know. When I healed him, it was used solely by me; used solely by my own two hands. And when he was healed I kept the remaining amount to myself. I have only let him inhale ambrosia's perfume, but not a single drop touched his tongue. I would never give it to anyone anyhow unless they too are one of divinity."

Apollo sighed and nodded his head. "I understand, sister," he murmured quietly and guiltily. "And I am sorry for assuming that you did such a thing. I shouldn't assume what I do not know."

I sighed then and placed my hand on his shoulder more gently than just seconds ago. "Just don't do that again, alright?" I told him gently. "Now I don't want to have a fight with you. How about we just forget that we ever had this confrontation and just go to dinner, okay?"

I'm just glad that I had been able to handle Apollo's anger before it got too out of control. I was also glad that the angry and confrontational façade he had donned just a few minutes ago had finally disappeared completely. Though I could sense that uneasiness still lingered in him, I decided that at least it was better than him being angry. I would find some way to soothe him later on.

His lips pursed but he nodded his head in agreement. He silently wrapped his hand around mine and led me off to the dining hall as I called out to two stable boys, who made their appearance out of the stables, to untie our horses and lead them back to their stalls.

* * *

After dinner, Demeter and Persephone arrived in Mount Olympus for a visit. As Demeter conversed with Hestia in the palace lounge, Persephone immediately followed Athena and I to the palace gardens.

The garden at night was absolutely beautiful, of course. The huge forest-like garden would be illuminated by orbs of white flames that would float around lazily and the bright shines of moonlight from my celestial body. The vast variety of colorful flowers which decorated the place would still be in full bloom before it went to sleep later on. But for the time being, they would continue to showcase their beauty and sweet perfumes.

There were some residents of the palace who were mingling around the garden. Some were drinking, some were conversing and some were laughing over jokes together. The sounds that came from them indeed gave the atmosphere a very homely feel.

Persephone, Athena and I each grabbed a white flame ball from the air. These white flames were special as, though it had the appearance of balls of fire, they do not burn when touched.

Few deities saw and greeted the three of us. We greeted them back politely before making our way into the forest. As we walked through the thick mass of trees to our favorite spot, we laughed and gossiped and chatted. I loved a moment like this, because in that moment, we no longer become the Goddess of the Hunt, the Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Spring to each other. Instead, we became sisters and best friends.

Finally, we reached the place. It was a small clearing that was barricaded by bushes of flowers, with a small opening acting as the entrance, and it actually had a large canopy of colorful flowers hanging from the branches. That had been done a long time ago by Persephone, who had been bored when she created it. Athena and I were so impressed and in love with it that we just left it there to hang, acting like some sort of ceiling. So whenever possible, the three of us would always spend time there. When not us, it would be others, but we were glad that they were mindful of keeping it proper.

We released the balls of white flames in our hands and let it rise above us. They did not touch the flower canopy and they lit the whole place perfectly. Once everything was illuminated, we sat down in a circle and just began to fall into conversation.

"Ares kept on asking me if I wanted to see him train," I groaned as I lay down on my back. "I told him no about a million times, and he still wouldn't give up. It was a good thing that Apollo was there to tell him 'no' for me."

Athena snorted in reply, "That hothead sometimes really doesn't know when to give it up."

Persephone, who was braiding her hair, giggled, "And besides! He can't have you. You're with Orion!"

Her words made me jack-knife into a sitting position and exclaim, "No! I'm not with him like _that_!"

Athena and Persephone both exchanged a look with a raised, disbelieving eyebrow and a smirk before looking at me with the same look. "Are you really sure about that?" Athena asked skeptically "I don't think it can be, since I always see you smiling so gleefully every time you come back."

Persephone giggled at Athena's words while my mouth fell open. "Athena! Seriously!" I exclaimed in mild outrage and disbelief. "I can't be like that with him! I'm a sworn maiden!"

I expected either her or Persephone to answer, but it was another who did.

"Just because you're a maiden doesn't mean you can't _feel _for him."

All three of us turned our heads in the direction of the voice and saw Aphrodite emerging from out of the forest. With her were her attendants, the Charites – Aglaea the Goddess of Splendor, Euphrosyne the Goddess of Mirth and Thalia the Goddess of Good Cheer.

"Sorry for the intrusion," Aphrodite said with a sickly-sweet smile on her ruby-painted lips. "We were around taking a walk when I heard your interesting conversation, and I know that I just _have_ to know about it."

I could immediately see the change in expression on both Athena and Persephone. Athena's turned into one of distrust and skepticism due to her immense dislike of Aphrodite's slyness. Persephone's turned into one of uncertainty, because she wasn't sure of how to react and what was going to happen.

I just remind quiet as Aphrodite moved closer and sat down a foot away from us, her knee-length platinum blonde tresses pooling on the soft green grass. Behind her, the Charites too sat down, looking at the three of us with a respectful smile on all their lips.

"So what were you saying?" I inquired politely and mannerly, trying to prevent any awkward silence between us. "About-"

"About you feeling for Orion despite being a virgin," Aphrodite finished for me. "It's true. Just because you can't take part in love-making doesn't mean that you can't love him."

"So what you're trying to say is that I love Orion?" I questioned in disbelief. Aphrodite only smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

Athena rolled her eyes and said, "Don't just assume, Aphrodite. If Artemis says she isn't, then she isn't. Right, Persephone?"

Persephone, who had been quiet throughout the small exchange, jumped at suddenly being mentioned. There was uncertainty in her amber eyes and she replied with a hesitant shrug, "I guess."

Aphrodite sighed and shook her head. "I'm not assuming. I'm just stating that it is a possibility that could happen or already did happen."

Alright, Aphrodite had a point. But still. Me being in love with Orion? Just the thought of it seemed quite laughable….. but yet, at the same time, it wasn't. And what the Love Goddess said was right; it was a possibility that could happen.

Or already did happen.

Aphrodite continued stating her case. "Besides, like what you said Athena, Artemis had always been coming home from her day with him with a smile on her face. That could be evidence enough."

Athena rolled her platinum grey eyes and answered defensively, "Yes, I said that. But I did not openly say that Artemis had developed feelings for her hunter. I don't just come to conclusions about what is in her heart like you do."

"But…" Persephone suddenly said quietly. "It could be possible."

Athena looked at Persephone with disbelief in her expression, and the Spring Goddess only shrugged. "I'm not assuming that it had happened. I'm just saying that it could happen," she simply replied.

"What Lady Persephone says is true," said Aglaea. "We cannot assume, but we can presume."

From both sides of her, her older sisters nodded in agreement. "I agree with Aglaea," Thalia said. "And so do I," Euphrosyne stated. Aphrodite too smiled in approval. "Exactly," she said confidently.

"Have any of you ever considered about what _I _think?" I said suddenly, unable to continue not being part of the conversation, despite the fact that I was the subject of it.

All of them turned to me and, upon seeing the disapproving frown and pursed lips on my face, suddenly looked guilty. "We apologize," Athena said on behalf of all them. "So what do you think, Artemis? Do you think you're in love with Orion, or is your relationship with him nothing more than a mutual friendship?"

What a powerful question. It was so powerful that I thought I would find no answer for it, because I myself did not know if I even had one. It made me think absolutely hard to myself. Did I really have feelings for Orion or didn't I?

With one deep breath, I gave them my answer.

"I think that all of you should just not say anything about me and Orion until I myself am sure of it."

Well, that certainly made them taken aback. When silence followed after my words, Aphrodite stood, followed by the Charites, and took her leave. I said nothing and just smiled at them before they left the clearing.

When it was just me and Athena and Persephone once again, silence still hung between us. Athena looked nervous and slightly guilty, whereas Persephone kept on glancing at both me and her uncertainly.

"Artemis, I-" Athena began, but I cut her off.

"It's alright. Let's just talk about something else now, shall we?"

Slowly, we began to talk once more, until we were finally once again laughing and gossiping when the tension wore off.

But as I gossiped and joked, my mind could not help but go back to ponder about that question.

Did I really have feelings for Orion or didn't I?

* * *

_Damn it! So close!_

Apollo turned away from the pool of scrying waters in frustration. He had been listening to the conversation that took place in the clearing under the flowery canopy and barricaded by flower bushes. He had been paying full attention as Athena and Aphrodite argued about whether or not Artemis was in love with Orion, with Persephone and the Charites saying that it was a possibility.

But what he really wanted to hear was Artemis' answer. He wanted to hear the truth spill out from her lips. He wanted to know whether or not she did love _that demigod_, just so he could know whether or not he should be afraid and feel threatened by his presence. If she had just given her answer - just a simple 'yes' or 'no'! - he might be able to think straight about what to do to _him_.

But when Artemis just gave no direct answer, he grunted in anger. Great! Now he had to continue to worry about the possibility that Artemis would fall for Orion and forget about him.

As Apollo seethed in rage, he did not notice another presence entering the room until it spoke to him.

"What is wrong, Apollo?"

Apollo turned and looked over to the door, where he saw his father standing and looking at him with a concern frown. He took quick deep breaths to calm the raging fire within him that threatened to take over him completely and replied, "Nothing, Lord Zeus."

Telling by the look in Zeus' steel grey eyes, Apollo knew that his father wasn't convinced with his answer. But Zeus never said anything. Instead, he just nodded his head in understanding and stepped aside when his son walked out of the room in silence.

But truly, he was very concern about Apollo's current state of mind. But he did not know in what way had it got to do with his twin sister.

* * *

I was just about to enter my room when a voice called out for me.

"Artemis. I need to ask you something."

I turned my head to see Apollo walking towards me. I felt unsure about being near him, still because of the way he had acted in the evening. But I knew it would do no good if I ignored him, so I walked to meet him halfway and asked, "What is it?"

When he came to a stop in front of me, he asked, "Do you recall what I had said about a Delphi boy who prayed to me for courage to take part in his village's music festival?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, I recall."

"Well, the festival is tomorrow, and I was wondering if you would like to go with me? Disguise ourselves as mortals so that we too can celebrate in it?" he asked in a voice that sounded hopeful.

Attending a music festival with Apollo did not sound like a bad idea after all. In fact, I would always love to go out with my brother to these festivals of song and dance, since they were so lively and enjoyable.

"Sure, why not?" I replied with a smile. "What time should we be there?"

He seemed pleased that I had agreed and a smile appeared on his lips. "I have to be at the temple in the morning to receive blessings that the residents wish to offer me. Maybe you can come around midday? We can go to the village and sing and dance and feast to our hearts' content."

I nodded my head in confirmation. "Alright then. It sounds perfect."

Apollo smiled in agreement. "So am I. Now, we should both have our sleep. We need to look our best tomorrow, alright?"

He then leaned in and gave me a kiss on my forehead and bade me goodnight. I bade him goodnight as well before we entered our respective rooms, getting ready to turn in for the night.

But before I took my nightly bath before bed, I made my way to my wardrobe and began thumbing through the dresses kept in there, contemplating on what I should wear for tomorrow.

* * *

Author's Note:

Sometimes, I really admire Artemis. Despite the fact that Apollo would get too emotional at some moments and take it out on her, or be completely unreasonable in his arguments with her, she still tries her best to be patient with him and help him in the best way that she could. Who here agrees with me?

And hello there, Zeus. We haven't seen you since the dinner (_**Chapter 11**_).

Let me just tell you guys that I am currently writing the next chapter and I am totally eager for it to be published on Monday :)

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	21. Chapter 20

_**The Unexpected Surprise**_

When we were both awake to perform our duties, Apollo was already dressed for the festival. He wore a beautiful knee-length white tunic which had embroidery of golden, silver and bronze threads and a golden silk belt around his waist. He draped a chlamys of sheer and shimmering golden silk on his shoulders, with a silver fibula to pin it together, and wore leather sandals threaded with gold silk. Adorning his head of short, wavy and luscious golden hair was a shining gold laurel wreath.

As we prepared our chariots, I complimented him on his outfit, to which he graciously thanked me. And when we were back on Olympus after I had set the moon and he had raised the sun, he instructed me to 'pretty myself up' for the festival. He also told me that there was a change of timing and that I was to meet him at his temple about an hour or two past midday. When I assured him that I would do so, he left for Delphi.

To pass the time, I read scrolls and parchments in the grand library, played petteia with Athena in her room (with her winning as usual) and drank ice cold nectar and snacked on cold sweet fruits with Mother and Hestia in a wooden gazebo in the garden.

Finally, when it was an just past noon, I made my way back to my room to prepare.

I had some nymphs to help me draw my bath and prepare the outfit that I had picked out, which I had sent for some mending that morning. When their tasks were done, I dismissed them and set to prepare myself.

The waters in my bathing pool were warm and had the scent of sea salts, which the nymphs had poured. As I indulged in the silkiness of the oils of the now-dissolved salt in the waters, I scrubbed at my body gently with a bar of goat's milk soap before rinsing it and my hair in ambrosia. The aromas that wafted in the air of my bathroom smelled so divine that I wouldn't have mind just staying here and inhaling the sweet air.

But I got out soon after and the waters dissolved. I donned my silk bathrobe and dried my hair with a towel as I made my way to my bedroom, where my outfit was laid atop the dark violet silk sheets of my bed. When my hair was completely towel-dried and combed, I carefully put dress on and then examined myself in my full-length mirror.

The dress was made of dark gold silk, but it looked nearly like molten gold cascading down my slim and slender figure to my ankles. It was a fitting off-shoulder piece with loose shimmery silver gossamer sleeves that reached my wrists, darker gold trimmings and a silver sash at my waist. I had chosen this dress to pair with Apollo's attire.

I was just about to tie a ribbon behind me when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," I called out as I summoned the doors to open.

I was absolutely surprised that it was Aphrodite that came into my room. She was just about halfway to me and looked as though she was about to say something when she stopped suddenly. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open as she stared at me.

"By the Gods, Artemis, you look stunning!" she exclaimed with a smile as she made her way towards me. "The dress is absolutely gorgeous! Gold silk really suits you. And the silver touches just make it all better!"

I only stared back at her with a raised eyebrow. Usually, I would never expect to receive compliments from Aphrodite, the vain Goddess of Beauty. It only made me suspicious to her true motives. That, and I did not know why exactly she was here in my room in the first place.

"Uhmm…. thank you…." I replied, still confused by her presence in my room.

She only nodded her head with a smile before taking a step closer to me. "Here, let me help you with that," she said as she took the two ends of the silver sash in her hands. I did not protest and allowed her to help me as I continued gazing at my reflection in the mirror.

Aphrodite did not take her hands off me even after she had already tied the sash into a pretty bow. She went on to brush away invisible dust from my dress, smooth away any crease on the golden silk and arrange my long, wavy and luscious bistre tresses so that it framed my face perfectly. All while I looked at her with a weirded and confused look in my eyes.

"This is suitable for the Delphi music festival," she complimented gleefully. "You certainly made a right choice."

"How did you know about the music festival?" I inquired curiously.

Aphrodite rolled her icy blue eyes at my question. "I'm not clueless as to what's happening on the mortal realms, Artemis. I've had some women from Delphi who prayed to me to help them look beautiful for the festival."

I felt irritation growing in me slowly because I wasn't fond of being told off like some sort of stupid child, but I kept my cool and just calmly said, "Oh, I see. By the way, was there a reason why you came into my room?"

She then made a face to show that she had realized what the reason was. "Oh, yes! I came here to apologize."

I became even more confused. "Apologize? For what?" I questioned.

"For bringing that topic up last night," she explained. "It wasn't right to just do so."

"Oh, that. Well, it's-"

But I halted my words and my eyes widened in realization and horror as his name popped up into my mind.

"OH, NO! ORION!" I exclaimed in panic.

Aphrodite yelped in shock and fell onto the edge of my bed. "What? What?" she asked in shock. "What happened to him?"

As I threw open my wardrobe doors and searched for a pair of shoes, I hurriedly replied, "I forgot to tell him that I wasn't available today! He must be waiting for me! Oh Tartarus, I'll have to hurry and tell him that I can't spend the day with him!"

I grabbed a pair of white silk slippers and slipped them on as Aphrodite exclaimed, "Well, you better hurry! He's sure to wonder why you didn't go to Crete to see him!"

I nodded my head quickly before running out of my room. I rushed past everyone that stood in my direction, not even giving them a short second glance. I ran to the courtyard and immediately prepared my two winged horses to my moonstone chariot. When the reins were tied and secured, I jumped onto the chariot and commanded my steeds to hurry to Crete. They obeyed immediately and flew off into the air.

* * *

When my chariot landed onto Crete, I've already caught sight of him sitting on the beach, gazing at the emerald sea before his attentions were caught by me and he immediately stood up and made his way in my direction.

I practically jumped out of my chariot and rushed to him, saying, "Orion. I'm so sorry, I'm late. It's just-"

Orion held up a hand to stop my words and simply replied with a smirk, "It's alright, Artemis. No harm done. But let me just tell you that you look absolutely gorgeous in that dress." His teal green eyes gazed at my golden dress and he commented, "It seems that you might be wearing dresses in front of me to somehow gain my attentions. Trust me, you are successful."

I rolled my eyes and gave him a soft friendly shove to his shoulder. "You flatter yourself, son of Poseidon," I replied with a smile. "But thank you for the compliment. Very much appreciated."

He bowed his head as a show of appreciation before he reached out and gently grasped my hand. "Now that you've finally arrived, follow me. I wish to show you something."

My mind was instructing me to tell him that I could not spend the day with him because I still had the music festival to go to later on. But when I saw the look of eagerness and excitement in his bright teal green eyes, I decided to put aside those instructions for just a little while and let him show me what he wished to show me. Then, after that, I would go.

"Alright then. Show me what you wish for me to see."

Orion's smile turned brighter and he nodded eagerly. Then, he led me closer and closer to the seashore. I halted my steps before the crashing waves could even touch the tips of my silk slippers.

"What are you doing, Orion?" I questioned in confusion. "Why are you leading me to the sea?"

He turned his head to look at me, and I could see that there was still a smile on his face. Then he raised a hand and pointed at something ahead and asked, "Do you see that small island over there?"

My eyes followed the direction of where he was pointing and indeed I saw the blurry image of a small island up ahead. I had actually noticed that small island every time I came to Crete, but had never really thought much of it.

"Yes. That's the Islet of Leon. What about it?"

With the smile still on his lips, he told me, "It is there where I have a surprise for you."

I quirked a brow in curiosity. _A surprise?_ I thought to myself. _Orion planned a surprise for me? On the Islet of Leon? I wonder what it is._

"Okay….. So how do you suppose we get there?" I inquired cluelessly. "I think my chariot will do the job."

My questioned seemed to make his smile wider and his eyes twinkle. He took a step closer to me while I stayed still, wondering what exactly was he planning.

As he looked between me and the islet that was a few hundred meters away from where we stood, Orion said, "There is no need of use for your chariot when we can get there simply. But in order to get there, I need you to trust me and allow me to carry you. Do you think you can do that?"

I looked at him in confusion. The trusting part I could do, for I already trusted him. But it was the part about him carrying me. I was absolutely confused about that part.

But because I was very curious as to what he had in mind, I simply answered with a shrug, "Okay. But you better not drop me. I don't want to dirty my dress."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said with a wolfish grin. What he did next completely took me by surprise.

In a flash, he swept down and hit and grabbed the back of my knees with one hand, causing me to fall backwards and let out a yelp of shock. Luckily, his other hand was already prepared to catch my back before my head could hit the sand. Before I knew it, I was being carried bridal style in his arms.

"Orion! What the-" I cried out in a mixture of shock and surprise, but was stopped short when he suddenly started walking towards the salty green waters. "What are you trying to do?!" I exclaimed in panic, fussing about in his arms. "Are you going to swim there?! Don't do that! I'm wearing a dress!"

Orion laughed heartily and shook his head in mirth. "Of course, I'm not going to swim there, Artemis! And of course I won't try to ruin your very lovely dress," he assured me with a laugh. "You seem to have forgotten about my special talent."

"What special talent?" I asked him.

He did not reply. He just gave me a mischievous smirk before walking quickly up ahead. I yelped in shock when I heard the splashing of water underneath me and shut my eyes, waiting for the feel of wet silk sticking to my body.

But as the seconds passed, I realized that the splashing continued to sound below me, I was still dry and I wasn't actually in the water. I slowly slid open my eyes to meet the mirthful gaze of Orion. I studied the amused expression on his face before I turned my head to look down below us. What I saw completely amazed me.

I realized now that he was actually barefoot, and that his feet were _actually _walking on the ocean waters. It was as though he was just merely walking on the ground or on a smooth floor. Below his feet, I could see small and colorful fishes swimming around, some fleeing at the sight of him above.

"Gods above!" I muttered in amazement. "How are you doing that?!"

Orion's grin now turned into one of pride as he answered, "Remember what I said about inheriting a special talent from my father? Well, this is it."

Realization hit me immediately afterwards. "Oh, yes! The ability to walk on water," I realized. "It's so…. amazing."

Truly, it was amazing. Yes, I know that quite a lot of Poseidon's semi-divine illegitimate children would inherit this very special trait of his, like how they would inherit from him the green hue in their eyes. But this was the first time I've ever seen anyone perform that ability up close and it was very entertaining to watch.

Suddenly, while I was still staring in awe at the ocean below Orion's feet, he did a spin, which made me shriek in shock and instinctively throw my arms around his neck out of fear that I might slip out of his arms and into the water.

"Orion! That isn't funny!" I chastised him, but was surprised when I felt my lips tingling into a giggling smile. "If you do anything like that again, I swear I'll… I'll…."

Orion quirked an eyebrow curiously. "You'll?" he inquired with a cocky smile.

No words came to mind and I sighed in defeat. "I've got nothing," I admitted in a mutter. "But seriously, just don't do that again without warning me first-hand. I might fall into the water."

He nodded his head in reply. "Of course, Artemis. I'll not do it by surprise any more. Though I don't think that's a problem, considering how tightly wrapped your arms are around my neck."

I immediately realized that I did in fact have my arms wrapped tightly around his neck. I saw his cocky and amused expression and I turned my head, seemingly to look away into the distance when actually I was just trying to hide the blush that was threatening to bloom on my cheeks.

We got closer to Leon with each step on water that Orion took. By now we must be about a hundred meters away from the main island of Crete, because it was blurring behind us already while Leon was becoming clearer in view.

"Your perfume is exquisite."

I looked back at his face with a raised eyebrow. "Care to repeat that?" I asked.

"The aroma radiating from you is fragrant," he said. "I can tell that you used sea salts because I can smell the freshness of an ocean breeze radiating from you. It's more concentrated from you than the air around us."

Well, that seemed quite…. intimate. But nonetheless I was flattered that he complimented me once again. "As always, thank you for your compliment, Orion. It is very much appreciated," I told him with a small smile.

Orion smiled in return before he turned his head away to look ahead. Suddenly, I felt him step on something more solid and could no longer hear the splashing of water. I looked down and saw his bare feet walking out of the waters and onto soft-looking yellow sand. I trailed my eyes up higher and saw that there were palm trees nearly everywhere. That already told me that we had reached the Islet of Leon. Funny, I didn't know we were that close.

Finally, Orion gently set me down on my feet and I could feel how exactly soft the yellow sand was underneath the soles of my silk slippers. As I began to stand upright, the skirt of my dress cascaded smoothly down back to my ankles. I unwound my arms from his neck and turned to look around my surroundings.

The island was inhabited, so there were no sounds other than the crashing of the waves, the cawing of the seagulls that flew high above and the voices of me and Orion.

Orion took my hand once again and simply said, "Follow me." I followed him willingly and without question as he walked to the east.

We only walked for about a few minutes until I saw something that completely left me breathless.

Some of the palm trees were bunched together, forming their leaves into some sort of canopy and leaving a reasonable amount of space between them. The space was occupied by a brown mat that had platters of fruits, nuts, bread and sweet meats atop of it, with two wooden cups and a pitcher full of some chalky white liquid.

"Orion…." I began, but was too taken aback to complete my sentence.

"Do you like it?" he asked curiously. "I enjoyed the picnic that we had yesterday, especially when we talked. I thought that maybe we could do it again today. Only this time I'm the one doing everything. And for you."

"You did all this…. for me?" I asked in astonishment, turning to meet his eyes.

He seemed proud of that fact and nodded his head. "Yes," he said. "Only the best for a great mentor and friend."

That instantly made me feel touched on the spot. I knew that Orion was, despite his flaws, a kind soul on the inside, but I didn't know that he would be nice enough to set up a picnic just for me. Who knew what he had to do to get all those delicious platters of goodies, especially the breads and the meats. And to think that he had carried all of that with him from Crete to Leon.

I was at such a loss for words that I had to just say the first thing that popped into my mind. "That's so sweet of you," I told him with a grateful smile. "I…. Thank you…. So much."

"It's no problem," he replied. "Now let's sit down and eat."

Suddenly, my mind was suddenly thinking about Apollo and I wanted to smack myself on the forehead when I realized that I had the music festival to go to and the reason why I came to Crete in the first place was to inform Orion that I could not spend the day with him. But just when I was finally about to, he led me to the picnic mat.

And for some reason, seeing the eagerness and happiness in his teal green eyes and the smile that graced his masculine lips made my heart swell with emotion that I don't think I would even have the heart to make him disappointed by telling him that I could not spend time with him. What's more he had taken the time and effort to set it up especially for me and if I were to deny it, it was sure to make him feel as though all his efforts was for nothing and had gone to waste.

So I said nothing and just willingly followed him to the picnic mat. When I sat down and he sat down next to me, I thought to myself, _Maybe just a little while. And then I'll go to Delphi. But right now, I should enjoy my time with him._

* * *

A young man with auburn hair and green eyes was walking through a small Delphi village. All around him, music was playing loudly and people were singing and dancing and drinking and smiling and laughing, with some were even staring in awe and jealousy at the rich and exquisite garments that he donned.

But the young man did not concentrate on what was around him. He was wondering to himself where she could be. It was past midday, and she had still not arrived. Not even when he had left his temple just an hour ago.

_Where are you, Artemis?_ mortal-disguised Apollo wondered. _Where could she be?_

* * *

Author's Note:

Why can't I meet guys like Orion who would tell me how nice my perfume was or how gorgeous was my outfit and surprise me with a picnic on an islet? (T~T) Eh, maybe in the future!

And yet again, the tension arose slightly with Apollo wondering where in the world was Artemis! But Artemis now was too busy enjoying Orion's company! Things are going to get seriously messy soon!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	22. Chapter 21

_**He Confides in Her**_

The foods that Orion had prepared were absolutely delicious. The fruits were fresh and juicy and the nuts were crunchy and full of strong nutty flavor The meats were tender and succulent and the breads were warm and fluffy. I knew the fruits and nuts he must have picked from the forest. When I inquired about where he had gotten the meats and bread, he answered, "I hunted for the meats. And sometimes I go to a nearby village to trade my game for provisions. That's where I get the bread."

He filled the two wooden cups with the chalky white liquid from the pitcher. When I took a sip of it, I realized that it was mint kykeon – a drink made of water, barley and mint. Kykeon was actually a favoured drink among the mortal peasants, but was shunned by the mortal aristocrats as a vile concoction. But I myself enjoyed the sweet beverage and I was a goddess. I thus found those mortal aristocrats stupid for being so snooty.

We ate together in companionship. I ate the meats with the bread and the nuts, making a very delicious meal. He followed my example and soon found himself addicted to the creation. I also watched as he cut up the fruits into various and creative shapes with a small knife that he had brought with him. We also entertained each other by attempting to throw nuts and bits of fruit into each other's mouths. We both did well, but we got a hearty laugh whenever it missed our mouths and bounced off other areas of our face.

When all the foods had been eaten and we were both reasonably full, we proceeded to walk around on the beach. We chatted as we strolled next to the sea and even chased each other for fun. Thanks to all those times he had run with me in the forests, his capability of speed had increased, aiding him in capturing me for a few times in our catching games. But I did not become angered that he had shown skills that matched my own. In fact, I actually felt proud of him.

But of course, another reason why he could easily catch me was because…. I was wearing a long dress.

"Okay, Orion! You win! You win!" I exclaimed with a laugh when he wrapped his arms around me from behind and captured me once again. I was surprised when he suddenly lifted me up and swung me around gently in a circle. And I realized that I was still grinning when he set me down on the ground once again. From behind, I could hear his mirthful laughter.

"Do my ears deceive me? Had the goddess Artemis actually claims defeat?" he asked in a voice of mock shock and disbelief. "Well then, I should celebrate! For I have reigned victorious!" he guffawed jokingly.

Had it been any other person who had said that, I would have instantly murdered them for mocking and insulting me. But I knew that Orion was only jesting and that he would never say or do things to get on my bad side, so I let it slide for him.

"Oh, whatever! You and your cockiness," I groaned with a roll of my eyes and a hint of a smile on my lips.

He held up both his hands to the level of his face. "Okay! I'm sorry, Artemis," he apologized, even though he knew that I was just joking.

I kept my act up and huffed childishly as I turned and walked away from him with stomps. But what I saw nearby made me stop.

Standing where the sea met the land was a huge rock. The waves crashed against the foot of it before gliding a little more towards the land. From where it stood, there was a nice view of the vast sea and of Crete. The top surface of it was smooth and flat, and had enough space for a few people to sit atop of it.

"That looks like a nice place to sit down," Orion said from behind me, which made me know that he too was looking at the rock. Suddenly, he walked past me and grabbed my hand along the way to lead me to the rock.

When both of us were finally near the rock, he easily lifted me by the waist before the water could even touch my silk slippers. Since he was barefoot, he simply walked into the water, carrying me in the air, until he reached the rock and I carefully got onto it.

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome," he replied.

I then extended out a hand and he grasped it. With my super strength and balance, I was able to remain stable as he hoisted himself up onto the rock with just my hand for leverage.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," I replied.

At the same time, the both of us sat down facing the sea. We were quiet for a while, just enjoying the view and the atmosphere, until Orion finally spoke first.

"I really do love a day like this," Orion mused with a happy sigh. "It's so bright and perfect. One can just do nothing and laze under the sun on a day like this."

As I stared out at the sea, I nodded my head in agreement. "Sometimes, on a day like this, I'd like to spend it with my sisters, Athena and Persephone," I said out of the blue.

"And what would you do with them?" he inquired.

"Anything we wish to," I told him. "Athena and I would go to the mortal lands and visit Persephone. We would sing, dance, pick flowers and weave them into crowns, gossip and joke, etcetera, etcetera."

Orion smiled. "It sounds like you are very close to them," he pointed out.

"I am. Other than being my sisters, they're one of my greatest friends. Athena is always there to give me good advice for times of trouble and Persephone is always there to be a listening ear whenever I feel the need to talk about something."

A silence followed for a few seconds before Orion remarked, "It's funny."

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What is? The fact that I love my sisters?" I questioned.

He shook his head quickly. "No, not that. It's how you talk of them so compassionately. It shows that you're indeed very kind and loving."

"And what is it about that makes you seemed so amazed?" I inquired.

He took a deep breath before he answered. "I have traveled far and wide for as long as I can remember. These travels usually come with meeting people who each have their own opinions of the deities of the world. Some who speak of praises for fleet-footed Hermes, others who speak of their envy of beautiful Aphrodite, and then they are some who speak of you."

"Let me guess; they all think I am a cruel and heartless goddess who has an eternal dislike for men and will kill anyone instantly and without showing any mercy," I said in a monotone voice.

Orion hissed in hesitation and murmured, "I wish I could deny that, but that would be lying."

I sighed and simply shrugged my shoulders. "It's alright. If that's what the mortals wish to think of me then so be it."

"But, there are still many who speak praises of you," he told me seriously. "Count me as one. I know you very well and though you may show anger at some moments, you are not entirely cruel. You have shown kindness to me far more than anyone else."

That helped to bring a smile to my face. "Thank you, Orion. That's really nice of you to say," I thanked him graciously.

He nodded his head once to show that he appreciated my words. Then, with his eyes back on the sea ahead of us, he sighed, "Your kindness always reminds me of another friend of mine from the past. Other than you, he was the only and greatest friend I've ever had."

I tilted my head to one side as a show of curiosity. "And pray tell; who was this friend of yours?" I asked him.

His eyes flashed to me for a while and I was slightly taken aback by the longing and sadness that were suddenly noticeable in his teal green orbs. His lips pursed into a thin line and I swear I saw it quivering for a while, as though he was about to break into sobs.

And then, he let out a long and heavy sigh and whispered, "He was indeed a really fond memory…."

With his sad-looking green eyes looking at the beautiful ocean, Orion began to tell me the tale of his old friend.

"One day, when I was still somewhat approaching my late-teens, while I was out hunting somewhere in a forest in Peloponnese in Southern Greece, I found a harehound. Like all other harehounds, this one was medium-sized, had a short and dense tan and black coat with medium-sized bright brown eyes. He had his left hind leg trapped underneath a boulder and was struggling to get free. I felt pity for him and approached to help him, but he thought I was a threat and started growling at me in warning. But I managed to coax him into letting me help him and was able to lift the boulder. He tried to stand and walk afterwards, but couldn't because of his broken hind leg. I knew that I couldn't leave him to himself, so I carried him and took him with me everywhere I went. I cared for him and nursed him back to health. I took him to animal doctors and gave them my game in exchange for medicine for him. I even gave him the cooked meats of the best animals I've hunted down. Very soon, we formed a close bond. He would always curl up next to me whenever I'm resting or sleeping or watch me attentively whenever I hunted while I would gently help him walk again and even play with him small games. Very soon, I started calling him 'Sirius'."

"That's a nice name. 'Sirius' means burning," I said.

Orion nodded his head. "Yes. I called him 'Sirius' because I swear to you that I could see passion burning in his brown eyes."

"Why was that?"

"When his broken leg had healed, he started to run with me in my hunts. He displayed such determination in chasing after my game, as though he wished to please me. He would run faster than I did and tackle down any small animal that was running away. When he gave chase, I knew that, like me, Sirius was a passionate hunter. He was able to bring me even more game than I could in a day's worth. We bonded even more through hunting that I came to consider Sirius my best friend."

He let out a sigh before he continued. "He was still with me when I was married to Side about two years later. She didn't like him very much and even told me to get rid of him, but I refused. We would fight about it a lot. To be honest, when she left me, I was somewhat glad because that meant that I could keep Sirius with me."

I snorted. "Such a pompous woman. I really don't get why she wouldn't like Sirius. He sounds like a loyal and expert hunting dog. Why, if any of my hunting dogs were like him, I would never want to let them go."

"Exactly," Orion replied. "At times, I felt like I didn't need women and that Sirius was the only companion I needed. I would carry him in my arms whenever I crossed the oceans and he would walk alongside me through towns and villages. We continued to hunt together and we would eat the meats together. I would usually give him the best meats as a reward. Sirius was such an amazing dog. He was friendly, energetic, lively, charismatic, confident, outgoing and strong-willed. He was also a fearless, formidable, fast and powerful hunter who was able to hunt down the best game. He was very devoted to me and could cheer me up even when I was in the worst of moods."

And suddenly, he let out another long sigh. This one heavier and sadder than the last. That instantly made me know that the story was about to get tragic.

"But as the years went by, Sirius became weaker and weaker. I could see it in the way he walked and ran. He looked as though he were about to collapse from utter exhaustion. He couldn't even run a hundred meters before he would tire. When we rested, I could see the bleariness in his eyes as he rested his head on my lap. But he seemed to not want to stop hunting. Each time I prepared my club and daggers, he would always stand waiting for me. But I knew that more hunting would only make him feel worse, so I stopped hunting for a while for his sake. I knew that he was not in good health and he needed medical attention. I went to the animal doctors of a nearby village, and you could not believe how I felt when they told me that Sirius was near the end of his thread of life."

"Oh, my…."

Orion's teal green eyes became ridden with sadness, even when he looked down at his hands on his lap.

"I felt as though my heart had broken into pieces and my whole world was destroyed. I didn't know what I would do without Sirius. That night, when we returned to our camp in the forest, I cried so many tears that night. I cried in anguish at the thought of losing my best friend. I cried in anger that the Fates would take him away from me while I was at the prime of my life. I cried in sadness that Sirius may not live to see another day."

All of a sudden, I saw a tear fall from Orion's right eye and trickled down his cheek. He wiped it away instantly, but I shifted myself closer to him in concern. He flashed me a glance before looking back at the ocean.

"Sirius could see that I was sad and tried to cheer me up, as always. I very much appreciated his efforts. Even when death seemed imminent for him, he still cared for me. I decided that I should make his last days on Earth a much enjoyable one. I played with him, ate with him, told him stories and just spent every waking moment with him. But one night, when the stars were at their brightest and your moon was full and shining, I sat with him on a beach and gazed at the ocean and the stars in the night sky. He always loved the ocean as much I do. I held him in my arms and told him that he was the best friend I've ever had. I cried, but I never stopped telling him how much I loved him and longed for him to be with me for a little while longer. He licked my face as a show of affection, but I could see tears welling in his eyes. Very soon, he fell asleep. But I didn't. I continued to hold him and told him I loved him. Finally, when the sun rose for the dawn, Sirius had already gone to sleep for all eternity."

This time, it was I who was crying. Tears immediately started pooling in my eyes and some trickled down my cheeks. I grasped his hand in mine and held it tightly.

"I gave him a proper burial and I left, despite my reluctance to leave his side. My father knew of Sirius' death and sent me his condolences. He told me that someday, Sirius and I would reunite in the afterlife. Those words comforted me, but I never felt the same for a while after that."

Orion finally looked at our holding hands and then looked at me. "I've never told anyone else about Sirius except you. I didn't even talk about him to Merope and Eos. I only told you because you remind me so much of him, Artemis," he said.

"In what way?" I asked, not sure why he would compare me to his hunting dog.

He smiled. It was a small smile, but I could see the gratefulness in that smile.

"You stay by my side. You try your best to not upset me. You're there for me when I need someone to talk to. You healed and cared for me when I was injured. You're always making sure I was okay. What more could I ask for in a good friend?"

My heart instantaneously swelled up with so much emotion that I hadn't realized I had hugged Orion until after my face was buried in his shoulder. But I did not care that I had ignored my rules of personal space. I hugged him tighter, somehow to show that I would never let him go.

He hugged me back and we just stayed there, sitting on the rock and hugging each other. But it was the feel of his hand attaching something to my hair that made me pull back. I saw the small smile still on his lips and kept my gaze on him as I reached up a hand to feel what he had placed in my hair.

My fingers felt a wooden hair clip.

"I got it for you," he explained. "When I was in the village to get the breads. I know that it would seem petty compared to the vast amount of jewels and accessories you would own, but I felt the need to get you a gift. To thank you."

I knew he would have expected me to snort at the gift, but his smile turned wider when I smiled. "Thank you," I whispered. "It's wonderful."

I was so touched by everything that he had done for me today; complimenting my looks and dress, setting up a picnic, telling me the story of his greatest friend (being the only one he told it to make it seem more special, because it meant that he trusted me) and getting me a gift. This man was so good and wonderful to me that I began to wonder why it was me who had him in the first place instead of some other woman who could have easily had his fancy.

"You're welcome," he whispered.

All of a sudden, everything around us seemed to slow down. I gazed at Orion, studying his chiseled features; his thin masculine lips, his slender nose, his high and sharp cheekbones, at his short and disheveled bronze hair and his teal green eyes that seemed to mesmerize me now.

He lifted a hand to tuck a lock of my bistre hair behind my ear. But the hand never left. He cupped my cheek, and the feel of his palm was so soothing and enchanting that I lifted a hand to place over his.

Orion leaned in while I remained still, wondering what exactly was the beautiful feeling I felt on the inside because of his closeness.

"You look so very beautiful in the shines of the evening sun," he whispered, his face inching closer.

I was about to slide my eyes shut and enjoy the closeness between us. It was so enchanting, and I wanted to do nothing but delve into this beautiful moment.

But I caught onto the last word he said.

And my eyes flew open and widened in horror when I realized I had forgotten about Apollo.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just to tell you guys... I cried when I typed about Sirius.

Okay, the story of Sirius in this chapter is not true in mythology. In fact, there are no backstories of Sirius other than the fact that he was Orion's hunting dog. I made it up just for the sake of giving him history. But it really made me cry when I wrote about Orion and Sirius' devotion to each other. I seriously love those type of owner-pet relationships.

So anyway, I imagine Sirius to be a Greek Harehound, which is a dog native to Southern Greece, most especially the peninsula of Peloponnese. Greek Harehounds are hunting dogs that are known for their cheerful and active behavior and their fearsome reputation as formidable hunters. I chose Sirius to be a Greek Harehound because his type of hound species seemed compatible with Orion's character, because Orion is also cheerful, active and a powerful hunter.

Alas, Artemis finally remembers Apollo, just as she was about to go all romantic with Orion! Things will definitely not be good...

But, to end on a brighter note, thank you **_GlassRose101997_ **for your funny review. It seriously gave me a good giggle :)

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	23. Chapter 22

_**Heated Confrontation**_

He was furious beyond reasons.

As he roughly pushed his way through the heavy crowd around him to get out of the hustle and bustle, Apollo was seething on the inside.

Why was he seething? Well, it was because it had already been two hours – evening was approaching, in fact - and Artemis did not even show up. And he had a very good idea of what she was actually doing, and _who _she was with.

_**Damn her! How dare she forget me! ME! HER OWN TWIN BROTHER! AND ALL FOR THAT DAMN GIANT OF HERS! **_

He ignored the shouts of outrage of the mortals who he pushed roughly. His mind was only filled of poisonous thoughts. It disturbed him that such thoughts could even fill his mind, but he was too enraged to care. But other than that, it seemed as though his good and bad side were arguing against each other in his very own psych.

_**She dares to forget you! Teach her a lesson she would never forget!**_

_She's your sister! She makes mistakes! Just voice your displeasure and your disapproval of Orion!_

_**Don't let her off so easily! What if she does that to you again?!**_

_She has never done anything to anger you!_

_**She chose to spend time with that **_**demigod**_** instead of you! Of course, she did!**_

The thoughts continued to fill his mind, making his head throb furiously. Unable to control himself any longer, he began to growl under his breath and push his way through the mass of people even more roughly than just a few seconds prior.

Very soon, he was out of the crowd and entering the forest that surrounded and barricaded the village. He felt his mortal guise melt away, revealing his true divine and ethereal appearance, as he rushed over to the area that he had cast his powers upon so no mortal would be able to enter and see the golden chariot and winged steeds that he had left there.

He was quick to secure his steeds to his chariot and wasted no time to take flight. As he flew into the sky, his head continued to produce even more venomous thoughts of his sister and that hunter of hers. It made him seethe even more in rage.

Finally, after some time in the air, he reached the palace of Mount Olympus. When his chariot had rode onto and came to a stop on the courtyard, he jumped off and gruffly ordered some stable boys to untie the steeds from the chariot, relieve the reins and harnesses from their bodies and bring them to the stalls as he stomped into the palace.

Some residents immediately saw the God of the Sun in his magnificent robes and were about to greet him 'good day', but they stopped short when they saw the murderous glare that was sculpted onto his face. But Apollo simply ignored their stares and brushed past them, heading straight to the rooms, thinking that for some reason he would find his sister there.

Suddenly, as he had just passed by one of the drinking rooms of the palace, he heard the familiar tinkling laughter of a certain goddess. He turned around to enter the said drinking room and found Ares sitting on one of the plush armchairs with a giggling Aphrodite on his lap, who was lifting a chalice of liquor to his lips. But both of them stopped their intimate ministrations when they saw Apollo stomping towards them.

"Where is my sister?" he demanded to know, his eyes intent on Aphrodite.

The Love Goddess put aside the chalice on a table next to the armchair and got off the lap of her lover as she answered, "I thought that she would be with you at the music festival."

"Well, she wasn't," he snapped. "She didn't even come."

Aphrodite shrugged her shoulders and said, "Then she must be with Orion then. She said she would go to Crete to tell him that she couldn't spend the day with him."

Hearing that certain name finally made Apollo snap.

"**She lied!**" he roared, causing Aphrodite, and even Ares, to flinch. He took a step closer to her and continued shouting. "**She spent the entire day with him and forgot all about me! And that's your entire fault!**"

Ares immediately stood from the chair and went in front of Aphrodite, blocking Apollo from her. As the redhead god tried to convince the golden-haired one to calm down and back off, Aphrodite shouted in outrage, "How is it my fault?!"

Ignoring the God of War in front of him, Apollo snarled, "**It is because of your damn powers of love my sister is infatuated with that vile demigod! It's because of you she replaced me with him in her heart!**"

Aphrodite knew that she wasn't the one at fault here and crossed her arms and stood defiantly to show that. "I think it must have slipped out of your insane mind that Artemis _is_ immune to my powers. I cannot manipulate her heart. If she is truly in love with him, then she is simply acting upon her own feelings."

Apollo did not want to believe that. He did not want to believe that Artemis had fallen in love with Orion on her own. It was completely unnatural. She was a virgin goddess and she cannot fall in love with a man because if she fell in love with a man, she might marry him and give up the promise she made to herself to become an eternal virgin.

But though that seemed like a legitimate reason to him, the true reason was because he did not want to be replaced in Artemis' life. And she was meant to be his and his only.

Aphrodite did not stop her chastising. "Why can't you let Artemis be with Orion?"

With those poisonous words said, alongside Ares' stern stare and Aphrodite's scrutinizing glare, Apollo remained silent and haughtily left the room, an aura of fury surrounding him heavily.

* * *

"Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!"

Orion looked at me in confusion as I stood up and grabbed the hem of my dress to hitch it up to just below my knees. "Artemis? What's wrong?" he inquired worriedly.

I didn't answer him because I was absolutely panicking. I hopped off from the rock and into the waters, ignoring the fact that my white silk slipper were now completely drenched and some of the water had managed to splash onto me from the impact of my landing. I hurriedly ran back to shore, with him following right behind me.

"Artemis, what happened?" he asked again with same tone of worry in his voice. "What's wrong?"

Just when my feet touched dry sand, I felt his hand on my shoulder and he gently turned me around to face him. He placed his other hand on my other shoulder and held me still.

"Tell me," he simply said, but with a hint of sternness.

I felt very hesitant to tell him about it, but his intense gaze made my defenses completely low.

Murmuring, I answered, "I was supposed to go to Delphi with Apollo for a music festival. I only came to Crete to tell you that I couldn't spend the day with you."

My answer made his face became overcome by an expression of shock. "What?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Why didn't you say so from when you first arrived?"

I gulped an uneasy lump that formed in my throat. Averting my eyes away from his and looking down at the sand below us, I replied, "You told me you wanted to show me something here on the Islet of Leon, and the eagerness in your eyes made me not deny. Then when you showed me the picnic you set up, I was so touched that I simply couldn't refuse because I was afraid you'd be upset. And I…. accidentally… forgot about Apollo."

I willed myself to look back up at Orion and saw how disappointed he looked. He sighed and his hands slid down from my shoulders to gently hold my arms.

"Artemis, as much as I appreciate the fact that you were willing to stay at the picnic with me, you shouldn't have just forgot about your brother like that," he reprimanded me gently.

I didn't like to feel like some sort of child who was being scolded in these sorts of moments, but the tone of disapproval in Orion's voice really struck me hard. It made me want to slap myself for making him like this.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Honestly, I did not know what had gotten into me. _I _was saying sorry to _Orion_? I was a goddess! I did not need to say sorry to semi-divine beings!

But I put aside my pride and just allowed myself to wallow into shame.

Suddenly, he lifted one of his hands to cup my chin and tilt my head up so that my eyes once again met his. Despite how he spoke to me just a few seconds ago, there was a small upward tilt at the corner of his lips.

"We'll just let the matter slide, alright? No point wallowing over it," he told me reassuringly. "Now, let's get you back to the mainland."

I nodded my head and didn't need to be instructed on what to do next. I went closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck as he stooped down to lift me up into his arms. He then walked back out onto the ocean towards Crete.

I kept my eyes on the curve of his neck when I guiltily whispered, "Apollo's going to be so upset…"

"Artemis…."

"No, there's no point denying it," I cut him off. "I was the one who accidentally forgotten about him. He has every right to feel upset or angry or both and I deserve to feel bad about it." I let out a long and heavy sigh. "I'm a horrible person."

I don't know what happened, but Orion suddenly snapped.

"Don't say that!" he exclaim disapprovingly, making me flinch in his arms and shoot my eyes to his upset ones. "Don't ever say that you're a horrible person. You're not a horrible person. You're the most wonderful woman I've ever met. Know that. Your brother will forgive you. Believe me."

Once again, I felt touched by his kind words. But it was not quite enough to take out the horrid feeling I felt inside. But on the edge of my inner psych, I felt fear. Who knew how Apollo would react if he found out I spent the day with Orion? I knew the result was not going to become good. Also, he was sure to not forgive me so easily.

"I hope so, Orion."

He must have been mindful to walk quickly because we were on mainland Crete in a few minutes flat. I saw my chariot and the steeds in an instant and he immediately put me down before the both of us walked alongside each other to my ride.

But just as I was about to get on, I turned to face Orion to say goodbye for now. "Thank you so much for today," I said to him with a smile. "It was very kind and meaningful of you."

A faint blush bloomed on his cheeks and he smiled a bashful smile. "There is no need to thank me, Artemis. It was just a small gesture," he replied shyly.

I shook my head. "But it was not 'just a small gesture', Orion," I stated. "It was one of the most sweetest things that anyone has ever done for me."

And suddenly, I was reminded of the near-intimate moment on the rock and I myself could feel a blush blooming on my cheeks. I recalled how close he had been that I could feel the warmness radiating from him. I recalled how intent his mesmerizing teal green eyes were on me. I recalled how our lips were mere inches away from each other.

Well, I should continue that moment somehow.

Feeling flustered, I immediately grabbed his shoulders and stood on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on his cheek. Now, I was completely in my mind when I did that. And I wasn't embarrassed because I wanted to do it.

When I pulled back, his eyes stared at me in astonishment, shock, bewilderment, disbelief and joy mixed in altogether. The blush on his cheeks turned deeper and brighter. His lips were slightly parted as though he wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.

"Thank you a thousand times for today," I whispered graciously before letting go of his shoulders and turning away. When I got on my chariot and took hold of the reins, I said to him with a smile, "I'll see you tomorrow, Orion."

And then, I commanded my steeds to fly, and they did so. But just after the chariot has gotten off land, I turned my head to look at Orion. I saw that he was gazing at me, with his hand placed on the cheek I kissed and a smile gracing his lips.

* * *

I caught sight of his golden chariot the same time the palace came into view. He was already raising the sun, nearly halfway down as well.

_Damn it…._ I grumbled in my thoughts. _This is not good._

I commanded my steeds to go faster so that I would be able to raise the moon on time. They obediently followed my orders and I was able to raise the moon in a few minutes. But when my moon had taken up position, I saw Apollo flying off back to the palace and my steeds followed after him.

When they landed on the courtyard, I saw Apollo walking hurriedly to the outdoor dining hall of the Olympians. I jumped off my chariot and chased after him, calling out, "Apollo! Wait! Please!"

He did not stop. He did not turn. He just continued walking towards the dining hall. I picked up the hem of my dress and ran after him, but he was still faster than me.

"Apollo! Please! I know I'm in the wrong! Let me explain! Please!"

He had already entered the dining hall, still without stopping and turning for even a simple glance. I ran inside too and saw that most of the others had already sat down. They were all busy chatting with each other, but stopped when they heard my shouts to my brother. I was right behind him now, and was reaching a hand to place on his shoulder to try and stop him.

"Apollo! Ple-"

What he did next completely took me off guard.

He turned sharply and instantly grabbed the wrist of my outstretched hand so roughly and tightly that I could nearly feel immediate pain at the contact. I let out a small gasp of shock, but was silenced when he hauled me closer so that our faces were a few inches from each other.

There was a dangerously menacing expression on his face. His eyebrows pulled into a deep frown, his sky blue eyes burning with fury and his lips pulled back into a vicious snarl.

"You were with _him_, weren't you?" he seethed.

I could feel the tension that started to taint the atmosphere. Everyone else in the room was silent, I was speechless at the sight of Apollo's anger and I swear I could feel a shiver of fear run down my spine.

"Y-Y-Yes…." I forced myself to answer. "Apollo, it was an accident… I…"

"You forgot about _me_," he said in a dangerous voice. "You forgot about _me _and spent the day with _Orion_."

I gulped and told him urgently, "I didn't mean to!"

"**YOU DIDN'T **_**MEAN**_** TO?!**" he roared accusingly. "**BUT YOU DID IT, DIDN'T YOU?!**"

"Ares," I heard someone say urgently from the sides, which I realized was Aphrodite.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ares standing from his seat and making his way towards us, and I knew that he was going to break the two of us apart. But it was not only him. Even Hermes, who had just entered but heard enough, made his way towards us urgently. Even Zeus stood up from his seat at the head of the table and watched us intently, as though ready to intervene if the situation got too out of hand.

But Apollo whipped his head to Ares and Hermes and snarled, "Stay out of this! This is between me and her!"

Ares and Hermes both stopped in their tracks, but never took their eyes off us. I, on the other hand, tried to wriggle my wrist out of Apollo's tight hold. He turned his head to look at me once again, but I saw his eyes focused on what's on my hair.

"And what is this?" he questioned as he used his other hand to grab the hair clip out from my hair. I tried to use my free hand to stop him, but he was too quick, and he was holding the hair clip right in front of my face.

"He gave this pathetic excuse of an accessory to you, didn't he?" he accused. "What is this, huh? Is this a courting gift? Are you courting each other now? Or how long has it been?"

I never answered him. Once again, I tried to make a grab for the hair clip, but his fast reflexes allowed him to bring the hair clip out of my reach.

And then, for some reason, his eyes widened in horror and even more fury. Bringing the hair clip right in front of my face once again, he snarled, "Or is this an engagement gift?!"

"What?! NO! It's not!"

His grip on my wrist turned tighter and I gasped at the sudden sharp shot of pain I experienced. Zeus took this as a moment to step in.

"Let your sister go, Apollo! Now!" he commanded fiercely with absolute authority.

Apollo flashed a glare to our father before concentrating on me once again. With a low, dangerous growl, he sneered, "He does not deserve to be with you. He will only want to taint you before he chucks you aside like you are some used and broken toy. You think he will treat you as though you're special? He will only treat you like those other women he had before."

He pulled me closer and leaned in to whisper into my ear. I shivered in fear when he growled menacingly, "You are my sister, and you belong to me and me alone."

And then, the hand which the hair clip was in tightened so much that the wooden accessory broke into pieces immediately. I widened my eyes in horror when I saw my precious gift destroyed before my very eyes.

Apollo finally let go of me and threw the broken pieces of wood at my feet before he walked away from me. He pushed past Hermes and exited the dining hall, also pushing past Dionysus who was about to enter.

I stood where I was, still shaking from what my brother said and did.

"Artemis," I heard a voice say soothingly. I did not turn, but I knew that it was Aphrodite. "Artemis, it's okay…. Everything's fine… It's okay…."

But I did not listen to her. I felt tears welling up in my eyes quickly and streaming down my cheeks fast. I began shaking feverishly, still unable to recover from the shock.

Aphrodite gently placed both her hands on my shoulders, but I shook it off and ran out of the dining hall, unable to believe that Apollo dared to do such a thing to me.

How could he?

* * *

Apollo did not want to lash out on his sister so harshly. It would have been the last thing he wished to do, especially to her. But the thought of her forgetting him and spending her time with the giant had sparked a fire of anger inside him that was so huge that it seemed as though nothing could extinguish it.

He stared out of the window of his room, breathing hard to calm himself down. But yet, he could not feel calm. Angry thoughts continued to pile in his mind.

He only hoped that Artemis would take his words into consideration if she knew what's good for her.

* * *

I was in my bathing pool full of warm bathwater, sitting naked in the middle with my knees drawn up to my chest and my arms wrapped around my legs. My head was hung low with my forehead pressed onto my knees and tears dripping down my eyes periodically.

I was trying hard to calm myself, but my efforts seemed futile. My crying has never ceased, even if it has been about forty-five minutes since what had happened in the dining hall. It was just too much to get over that I couldn't easily do it. Not only was it embarrassing, it was terrifying. Apollo had never acted like that towards me before, but this was a first and I knew that I didn't want it to get worse.

But what he demanded was absolutely absurd and ridiculous. He said that Orion never thought of me as special and that he would just treat me like all those women in his past; just an item of pleasure. I especially couldn't believe that he stated that since I was his sister, I belonged to him and him only.

I still could not believe that he would threaten me like that! It was so very unnatural of him! I always knew him to be calm, thoughtful and caring, not over-protective, threatening and venomous!

And what he said about Orion was wrong! Orion had spoken beautiful words about me in his sleep and told only me his most secretive memory of Sirius, so that meant that I must be special to him in some way or another. And if he did thought of me as just an item of pleasure, he would have tried to force himself on me long ago.

I did not want to anger Apollo much more than now, but I know myself that I cannot just leave Orion for his sake. It wouldn't be fair to the demigod giant that I had come to call my good friend and companion.

I squeezed my hands into fists with my nails pressing sharply onto the palms of my hands. My heart was suddenly overwhelmed with anger. How dare Apollo say that about Orion and me! He doesn't know how kind-hearted of a person Orion truly was. And he had absolutely no right to just claim possession over me! Regardless of whether or not I was his sister, I was not an object to be owned!

Tartarus be damned, if I wanted to stay with Orion, then I will!

And nobody, not even Apollo, can stop me.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, this was the moment that many of you have been waiting for! Apollo finally lost it and threatens Artemis! But how will the tough Hunting Goddess react to this?

Come back on Friday to find out!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	24. Chapter 23

**_Night of Change_**

In a spur of moments and with my new streak of fierce determination and defiance, I stood up and got out of my pool. I hastily grabbed a towel that was placed on a small table and made quick to dry myself as I walked into my room, making my way to my wardrobe.

I hurriedly and roughly put on my underclothes before grabbing the first item of clothing my hands came in contact with; a dark brown knee-length hunting tunic with long sleeves. I put it on and pulled on my hunting boots before I shut the wardrobe doors and made my way to my weaponry closet.

I grabbed my silver bow and quiver of silver arrows, which had been kept in the closet during the past few days I didn't went hunting. Then, I reached my hands towards a shelf to the most important item.

The dagger that Orion had given me.

For a minute, I stayed still and simply gazed at the dagger in my hand. My eyes trailed the hard stone blade with sleek and sharp edges, the smooth wooden handle and the neat carving of my name on the wood. When my mind reminded me that it was a gift from Orion to me, it gave me another reason to prove that he was kind, for he had made and given a gift to me and me only.

But suddenly, it reminded me of his other gift; the wooden hair clip. Oh, how short-lived that hair clip had been. It had only stayed on my hair for about an hour or so before it got destroyed by the hand of my brother.

When I recalled the image of Apollo breaking the hair clip in his fist and chucking the broken pieces at my feet, a new spark of anger burst within me and I let out a low growl of anger. I tucked the dagger into the sash of my tunic and slung my bow and quiver on my shoulder before I made my way towards the door.

When the golden doors opened upon my command, it kind of surprised me to see Athena, Hermes and Dionysus standing right outside, huddled together and looking deep in discussion. But all three of their heads turned to my direction the minute they saw me exiting. I knew what they were doing in an instant.

They were discussing about me.

"Artemis," Athena began with a tone of concern heard in her voice. "How are you?"

"Are you alright?" Hermes asked worriedly.

Before I could answer their questions, Dionysus was the only one who took notice of my attire and asked, "Where are you going?"

I answered his question immediately. "To Crete," I replied with a hard edge in my voice. "To see Orion."

I did not spare them one more glance and quickly turned away from them towards the stairs, but only managed to walk a few steps before there was a sound of a door opening and _his _voice started speaking.

"And for what, _dear sister_?"

I stopped in my tracks and whipped my head around to see Apollo leaning against his golden doors with crossed arms and legs. His stance would have been deemed nonchalant had it not been for the tenseness in his shoulders, the way his hands were balled into tight fists, his pursed lips and the dangerous glare and frown that was adorned in his expression. His sky blue ones still looked like how it looked in the dining hall; dangerous, possessive and incredibly angry.

But he was not the only one to do the glaring. I did as well, and to him.

"It is my business, _dear brother_. I do not see why you should know," I replied with malice.

He did not take my tone lightly. His frown deepened and his balled fists turned tighter. He got off the doors and made his way towards me, pushing past Athena, Hermes and Dionysus. But as he got closer to me, I merely turned to fully face him instead of backing up a few steps. I was not going to back down and show him that I felt threatened. I was not going to stand there all defenseless like I had in the dining hall. It had been a mistake to just stand still and give him the chance.

If it was a fight he wanted, then it would be a fight he would get.

"I think I haven't made it clear to you that I do not want you to see that _giant _of yours anymore," he told me venomously. "So I'll make it clear to you now; I do _not _want you to see him anymore, Phoebe Artemis."

The nerve! He dared to scold me and even use my full name?! He was my younger brother, damn it! I should be the one who did the scolding!

"Or what?" I growled menacingly. "What are you going to do? Are you going to tell Mother, like you had when we were children? Or are you going to just sit around and sulk?" I gave a bitter laugh before I sneered, "You can't do anything to stop me, Phoebus Apollo."

The fury in his eyes grew tenfold. "Don't you dare taunt me," he snapped. "I am your twin brother, and you would choose a lesser being over me!"

"Ha! Like as if you haven't!" I retorted angrily. "Who was that little Oceanid friend of yours? Cliantha, was it? Remember? I think I recall _you_ forgetting about me to spend your time with her, you bloody hypocrite!"

Suddenly, I saw a slight flicker in his eyes that looked akin to guilt. I could tell that he was remembering that incident that seemed so long ago; when he had forgotten about going hunting with me in favor of taking Cliantha out. And not only counting that, but other times before. In fact, I have actually lost track of how many times he had chucked me aside to the back of his mind whenever he laid eyes on a pretty girl.

To be completely honest, it kind of felt good that I had done the same thing to Apollo with Orion. It was terrible to think that way, but it was indeed sweet payback. I suffered from that unfair treatment for far too long. It's about time he did too.

All of a sudden, as quickly as that flicker of guilt appeared, it disappeared from his eyes instantly and was replaced by even more anger.

"**I am not the one in the wrong here!**" Apollo snapped sharply. "**You are!**"

"**In what way am I in the wrong?!**" I questioned him hotly. "**It's not my fault you're just jealous of him!**"

"**Jealous of him?!**" he roared in outrage. "**I'm only trying to protect your promise of virginity! Or have you forgotten about your oath and plan to give yourself up to him?!**"

"**'Protect me'?!**" I sneered, and then growled, "**You're only doing this for yourself! You're only doing this because you feel threatened by him!**"

"The both of you stop it right now!" I heard Athena's voice demand from behind.

Apollo whipped his head around to her and shouted, "**Shut up and stay out of this!**"

That made Athena still, and even caused Hermes and Dionysus to freeze in shock.

I took this moment of him not looking at me to escape as quickly as I could. But my plans were foiled when I felt his hand grabbing my wrist; the same wrist he grabbed during the dining hall incident. He hauled me closer to him and grabbed my chin with his other hand so that he could force me to look at him once again.

"How willing you are to go back to his side for comfort," Apollo murmured dangerously. "So willing to be his _whore_, no doubt," he spat.

Fury burned within me as white-hot as the fires of the deepest parts of Tartarus. Immediately, I did the one thing I never thought I would ever do to him.

I raised my free hand and gave him a hard and tight slap.

His head instantly whipped to the side from the hard force of my slap. I had struck him right on the cheek, and there was now a bright red mark appearing on his peachy skin. His eyes were wide with shock and his mouth was gaped open slightly.

Behind him, I saw Athena, Hermes and Dionysus all looking at me with shocked expressions.

Apollo turned his head to me slowly, his eyes still holding shock and his lips still parted slightly. I could feel his hold on both my wrist and my chin loosen and I shrugged off his hands quickly as though I had just touched a poisonous fire.

I took a step back from him, glaring at him in warning like a territorial beast. He only stood still and only watched as I raised a warning finger at him.

"Handle me like that, call me a 'whore' or do anything to hurt me or Orion, and I will make sure to bestow misery upon your sorry immortal life, Apollo," I growled lowly.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked away from the scene. But as I made my way down the stairs, I could hear Apollo shout out, "Mark my words, Artemis! If you dare choose him and throw aside your promise of eternal virginity, then I will be sure to teach you a lesson!"

I did not answer back. But the words struck me so bad that I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks.

I swear that, for a brief moment, I could almost hear the faint sound of crying from my brother. But the sound faded away with each step I took down the stairs. Very soon, I heard it no more and was making my way quickly to the courtyard.

I quickly prepared my chariot and was off into the air in an instant. I tried to not think of what had happened whilst I was in the air. To distract myself, I gazed at the stars that twinkled far off into the distance and the mortal lands that I flew over.

I was more than thankful when I finally landed on the beach of Crete.

Crete at night was calm, serene and beautiful. The silver-white light of my moon shone on the dark blue sea and illuminated the whiteness of the sand until seemed as though it were glowing. In the forest, I could hear the cries of cicadas and the hooting of owls, interlaced with the sound of movement from other animals.

I walked quietly and carefully through the forest. Despite the fact that it was so absolutely dark that it may seem pitch black to the mere mortal eye, my supernaturally-heightened sense of sight allowed me to see easily. I could catch glimpses of animals passing through. They would not even realize that I was nearby until I was about to approach them, causing them to flee in panic. That proved that my skills of night prowling were at an expertise, thanks to all those times of night-hunting.

But as the sounds of the forest entered my ears, my mind was not registering them. Instead, it was repeating all those poisonous words and actions that Apollo had said and done. I tried very hard to block them all out, but it just kept coming back and getting louder until it seemed as though I could not even hear my own thoughts.

_I am your twin brother, and you would choose a lesser being over me!_

_So willing to be his _whore_, no doubt._

_Mark my words, Artemis. If you dare choose him and throw aside your promise of eternal virginity, then I will be sure to teach you a lesson!_

Unconsciously, I clamped my hands over my ears, as though to try once again to block out the venomous words. But it was pointless. It just kept on getting louder and replaying itself in my mind in Apollo's furious voice.

Very soon, I found myself running desperately to find the only person I knew I could find solace with. I only hoped that Orion was in his clearing, and not somewhere else. With each step I took, I felt as though I was trying to run away from my brother's words, despite the fact that they were actually inside my mind.

My running was loud, evidenced in the symphony of twigs and sticks breaking under the soles of my boots and pebbles ricocheting to wherever they landed from the kicks of my feet. I could hear animals fleeing when they heard me, thinking that I was some sort of large and dangerous nocturnal predator.

But while I was running through the trees, my sharp hearing caught the sound of a bowstring being pulled back quickly. Instincts kicked in and I spun towards the direction of the hunter, at the same time shrugging my bow off my shoulder quickly and holding it tightly in my hand, grabbing an arrow from my quiver and readying it in my bow with the string fully pulled back.

"Who's there?" I called out fiercely, to show whoever it was who was aiming their arrow at me that I was not a mere prey.

I could hear a faint gasp before a voice called out, "Artemis? Is that you?"

It was him! Thank Mount Olympus!

"Orion!" I cried out in relief, with the relief growing even more when he stepped out of the trees and was now walking towards me. I dropped the bow and arrow in my hands and ran towards him. I grasped his shoulders and clung myself to him. As I buried my face in his shoulder, I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks once again.

"Artemis? What are you doing here? Why-"

Suddenly, he pulled me back slightly to look at my face properly. When he saw that I was crying, his face pulled into an expression of immense worry and concern.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he inquired worriedly. When I didn't answer, for I was still choking on my sobs, he pulled me into a hug and gently rubbed my back to comfort me. "Ssshh. It's alright, Artemis. I'm here for you," he whispered soothingly to me.

The hug comforted me and I clung closer to him, as though trying to keep him to me and not let him disappear when I let go. I continued crying into his shoulder, wetting his tunic at that area. But he said nothing and continued to hold me.

"Let's go back to my clearing, alright?" he told me quietly. "We'll talk there."

I nodded my head and moved away from him to try and calm myself. I breathed deeply and slowly, trying to calm down my rapidly-beating heart.

Orion gently cupped my face in his gentle masculine hands and wiped away the tear tracks on my cheeks with his thumbs. And then, he walked away for a while to collect my bow and arrow that were still on the ground. He wiped away dirt from my weapons before he wrapped an arm around me and led me deeper into the forest.

He did not speak to me as we walked through the cluster of trees a few minutes later, but I myself felt like I was not ready to speak. But when we reached his clearing, he took my quiver of arrows away before putting it aside with his weapons and my bow and arrow.

I couldn't help but admire how beautiful his clearing looked at night. There was some lit oil lamps placed at random parts of the clearing to brighten up the place, but the moonlight that shone through the gaps of the canopy of leafy branches above just enough to do the job. The moonlight even shone primarily on the waterfall and the plunge pool, giving it a surreal silvery-white glow, which attracted me to come closer and admire it even more. Orion followed beside me.

I was pulled away from gazing at the silvery waters when Orion's hand cupped my jaw and turned my head so that I faced him. His teal green eyes, that seemed to look darker in the night, were still laced with worry and concern.

"What happened, Artemis?" he asked. "What happened to make you cry so much?"

I sighed and looked down on the ground. But Orion wouldn't have me not looking at him. His other hand cupped my chin and tilted my head upwards so that I met his eyes once again. It was there I knew I really had to tell him.

"Apollo and I… had a fight…." I began quietly. "He was angry that I did not show up to the festival and he became even angrier when he realized that I was with you…. He… told me that he disapproved of me spending so much time with you and …. forbade me from seeing you ever again…"

"What?" Orion exclaimed in disbelief and dismay.

"He said that you would only use me once you have the chance," I revealed to him painfully. "He said that you really did not think that I was special and that you would only treat me like all the women you've had before."

"Why?" he questioned as he pulled his hands away. "Why would he tell you that? If he didn't like me – if he absolutely hated and despised me – he should just tell it straight to me, not vent his disapproval harshly upon you."

I pursed my lips in anger before I answered him, "He thinks that I would disregard my oath of virginity and give myself to you freely. He thinks that I wish to be your _whore_." I spat the last word with malice. "I slapped him right on the face for calling me that. And I told him that I refused to obey his orders. Orion, I want to spend my time with you. I care for Apollo, but I cannot deny that I care for you too."

And then, I became ridden with fear, anxiety and hesitance. Feeling tears burning the back of my eyes, I asked, "But please, tell me the truth. Did you only stay with me in hopes of bedding me, like those other women in your past? Because if you are, then all I can say is that you can just leave me alone and never come back..… And I mean that…. But, if you don't…. Then…. Please…. Stay…."

Still holding his gaze, I noticed then that there was a sudden spark in his eyes. It was very akin to that of fury.

"Never," he growled. "Never will I treat you as lowly as that. Your brother was wrong to assume that I would just treat you as though you're just some common wench. I may have made many mistakes in the past, but I am not willing to do one more ever again, especially if it involves you."

Suddenly, he grasped both my hands in his, holding tightly. He leaned his head closer to me and proclaimed fiercely, "And you are special to me, Artemis. Never in my life have I thought I would care for someone so much. When you came into my life, I felt such a devotion to you that I truly cannot pull myself away. I trust you, I care for you, I feel for you."

Such beautiful words to my ears. I only gazed at Orion in silent awe as he made his wonderful speech. His voice was raw with depth and passion that I knew that what he said could not be a lie.

But when he leaned in closer, I held my breath, waiting for him to say more.

"Artemis…." he began, his voice full of hesitation. But I saw the determination in his eyes burning strongly that he forced himself to say everything.

He took a deep breath.

"I love you."

All around me, I felt as though time had really come to a stand-still. What did he just say? Did he just admit that…. he loved me?

Me?

Orion loved me?

I only stared at him in shock and I saw fear and anxiety enveloping his features. He took another deep breath and asked in quiet hesitation, "What I say is true…. Very true... But…. Do you love me as I love you?"

He asked me, a virgin goddess, if I loved him? That's completely unheard of, and in some way ridiculous. What kind of answer did he expect to such a question like that?

So, after taking my own deep breath, I gave him mine.

"Yes….. Yes….. I love you…."

It was true. I did love him. Love him so much that I was willing to defy my own twin brother to stay with him.

I loved him so much.

That caused the façade of fear and anxiety on Orion's face to disappear completely and be replaced with one of relief and utter happiness. Even when there was no small on his lips, I could tell from the glint in his eyes that he was absolutely overjoyed.

His hands released mine to cup my face gently once again. His thumbs brushed against my cheeks lightly, but I could feel myself blushing from his touch. His skin on mine felt like bliss and it felt just so right.

Orion's leaned forward, his teal green eyes gazing deeply into my midnight blue ones. It reminded of what happened that evening atop the stone on the Islet of Leon, but instead of me staying still, I too leaned forward.

"Artemis," he whispered in a voice so soft and mesmerizing, his eyes slowly sliding shut.

What was I doing? This position was way too intimate. I have never experienced such a thing before. But of course, because I am a sworn maiden. I wondered if this was the right thing to do. My oath does not really forbid such types of small intimacy with others, but I greatly avoided it to be safe. Even such ministrations, no matter how small, could lead to an even bigger deal.

But at that moment, I just thought to myself as I slid my eyes shut, _Just let it go for a while…._

And with no hesitance, I willingly allowed Orion to press his lips against mine.

His lips were as soft as velvet and tasted so sweet. I stayed still for a while, getting used to the feel and the taste of his lips, before I realized that I was beginning to respond. I shaped my lips against his and my hands traveled up to cup his face as gently as he did me. Orion kissed me softly and gently, molding his lips against mine and getting used to the feel. As we kissed, I could feel yearning in the way he kissed me tenderly and a hint of desperation that was coming from within me. I knew why I was desperate.

I realized at that moment that I loved him so much that I did not want to lose him.

Finally, the both of us pulled back. I was breathless from experiencing my first kiss while he sighed blissfully. He opened his eyes and looked at me lovingly. His hands had not left my face and his thumbs were tracing my cheekbones gently.

"Was that alright?" he asked quietly.

Taking a deep breath, I smiled and nodded my head.

"It was more than alright," I replied quietly.

And suddenly, I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him once again. He was completely surprised, I could tell, but his arms slowly wound around my waist and he began to kiss me back passionately.

Never before had I experienced such bliss.

* * *

Author's Note:

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YES!**

After twenty-four chapters it finally happened! **THE KISS!**

But wait! What of Apollo?! ('o')**  
**

So anyway, while I am calming down from my exuberant excitement, I thought I might share with you guys something. Lately, I've been receiving some comments about how some considered my Artemis to be way too... _unusual_. What they meant by that was because they deem my Artemis as more kind and compassionate than what she's usually reputed to be (e.g. cruel, heartless, a complete bitch) and not a lot of Artemis fanfictions portray her that way.

Let me just say that I am very proud with how my version of Artemis turned out to be. Yes, she can be cruel and menacing at some moments (she's terrifying in those moments), but she can also be kind, patient and compassionate. She's the protector and guardian of animals, young girls, virgins and soon-to-be mothers, so she has to be nice in a way, right? Some even seem to forget that she's also a Mother Goddess, so she also has a good motherly streak in her.

Yes, Artemis can be very mean, but only when the situation calls for it. If not, then she's really a friendly and down-to-earth goddess :)

What do you guys think of Artemis and Orion in this chapter? And what do you guys feel about Apollo now? (You guys are seriously mad at Apollo in the last chapter for being a completely bad brother and a hypocrite. But it's cool. I understand. Maybe in this chapter, you will start to hate him even more. Right?)

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	25. Chapter 24

**_Emotions Run High_**

Apollo and Artemis were not the only ones who cried during their confrontation.

Leto had seen everything in her mirror, which she had cast a scrying spell upon when she had sensed a terrible disturbance going on between her precious twins. How shock she had been when she saw her Letoides yelling at each other's faces. That shock immediately shifted to become grief.

The first few tears streamed down her cheeks from her soft royal blue eyes when the shouting began. It worsened when Apollo insulted his sister by calling her a 'whore'. It became even worse when Artemis slapped her brother in angry retaliation. By the time the both of them had threatened each other, Leto had already backed up from the mirror until her knees hit the edge of her bed, where she sat down and sobbed into her hands which were covering her face.

She could not understand. Why did it become like this? Why was it that just because Artemis chose to spend time with Orion, it had to lead to this? She knew from the start that Apollo was jealous of Orion due to the hunter gaining most of Artemis' attentions lately. But Leto had expected that her son would slowly get over it or deal with the situation properly, not become worse to the point of actually threatening to cause harm to his sister if she did not comply with his wishes of having her not see the giant anymore.

_Stop this, Apollo, my golden son…. _she begged to him in her thoughts, hoping that maybe in some way he could hear her. _Stop this before it becomes worse… Stop this before both you and your sister suffer…_

* * *

He left the palace that night, because he did not want anything in there to be destroyed in his anger.

So, he went to a nearby forest, where nearly all the trees have been destroyed; the only casualties in his dangerous moment of wrath. Had anyone - be it a divine being, a nature spirit or a mere mortal – saw him right now, indeed they would be ridden with fear at the extreme exertion of his rage.

_Crack! _The sound of another tree breaking from the impact of his fist upon the bark echoed throughout the empty forest, scaring off the dwelling creatures. The tree fell with a mighty _crash_ to the ground. The forest ground trembled from a few seconds from the weight of the tree, but became still once again after a few seconds had passed.

But in a few seconds, it was followed by yet another loud _crack_.

Apollo picked up a rock from the ground blindly and threw it at another tree ten feet ahead from him. His throw had been so powerful that the rock had managed to shoot through the tree trunk and exit from the other side, leaving a small, clean pierced hole in the hard trunk.

When the sound of the rock breaking the wood faded into silence, he roared out loud in anger. Again, animals scurried off in panic, wondering what sort of vicious creature could unleash such a menacing sound. What these creatures do not know that it was not an angry beast who was roaring, but actually an angry god.

"**DAMN HER!**" he yelled at the air. "**HOW DARE SHE DEFY ME! HOW DARE SHE!**"

Apollo hated the fact that what his sister had done was already too far. Not only did she forget about him and spent the day in that giant's company, but she was still even willing to go against him and defend her hunter. She would even swear to inflict misery upon him if he dared to try hurting her or Orion.

He pondered relentlessly to himself about what had happened to her that had turned her so soft? Why did she give Orion the chance to join her hunt in the first place? He was a man, and she never allowed males into her hunt, save for Apollo. But she had allowed the illegitimate son of Poseidon to join her as a hunter. Apollo knew not what the reason for her to do so was, but he knew that it was from that decision that the whole problem began to unravel.

He came to one conclusion; in the times Artemis had been in Orion's company, she had foolishly allowed herself to fall for his charms and forget about her brother.

_That must be it… _Apollo thought to himself in dismay. _She is bewitched by him. How stupid of her to fall for a _giant_! Had she forgotten about the Aloadae? How could she just assume that Orion would not do the same to her?_

Inside the depths of his heart, there was a fire of determination burning. It was the determination to bring Artemis away from Orion and back to him, her twin brother. She had denied him of her presence for far too long now.

And if she were to deny her promise of eternal virginity just for that hunter of hers, then Apollo was sure to take matters into his own hands.

A cawing of a bird sounded from above Apollo, and he looked up to see the dark night sky lightening into a lighter color and the stars fading away into the background. He realized then that he had been in that forest – doing nothing but destroy trees in anger – since last night and that dawn was about to break soon. He had to get back in time to raise the sun.

But then he thought of the moon, and something told him that Artemis would not show up for her duties tonight.

_Probably still with that hunter of hers….._ he grumbled to himself in his thoughts. _Guess I have to request for Selene to take over her._

* * *

The first sounds that my mind registered were the sounds of water falling from a certain height, the sounds of birds chirping cheerily, and the soft sound of breathing beside me.

Slowly, I slid my eyes open, but shut it immediately afterwards when I realized how bright it really was. I allowed my eyes to recover from the sting of the brightness before I started to slide it open once again, more slowly now to let it adjust to the brightness. I then noticed that it was too bright and too warm to be morning. When I glanced up, I could see the sun situated slightly more to the west of the bright blue sky, instantly giving me the answer that it was some time past noon.

The first thing my eyes saw after it had adjusted was the waterfall and the plunge pool. Sunlight shone upon it until the waters sparkled in many colors that looked akin to diamonds. Then my eyes traveled upwards to see tiny colorful birds flying from one branch to another, communicating to each other in chirps. Some were picking tiny berries and eating it or feeding it to their young.

Finally, I turned my head to the side and tilted upwards slightly, immediately seeing the sleeping face of the man beside me. Orion and I had fallen into slumber in each other's arms underneath a tree, with me curled up beside him and my head resting on his chest, after what had happened last night. His arms were still wrapped around me tenderly while mine were placed on his shoulders.

That's all we did. Just sleep. Nothing more.

A small, gentle smile played on my lips as I admired the peacefulness of his facial features in sleep. Slowly and gently, I craned my neck to plant a soft kiss on his lips. His lips still felt as soft as velvet and tasted sweet as yesterday and I sighed at the blissful feeling.

Suddenly, I felt his lips moving gently against mine. My eyes looked up to see his just opening. His teal green orbs were already fixed on me and I could feel his lips turn into a smile against my lips. My own lips turned into a smile as well.

I pulled away first, allowing him to speak. "Good morning, Artemis."

I shook my head. "No, no. Good 'afternoon', Orion."

He chuckled heartily before letting out a yawn. Then, he leaned his head in and gave me another soft kiss on my lips before I pulled away from him and sat up. I stretched languidly and rubbed the sleep away from my eyes. He shifted up beside me a few seconds later and gently draped an arm on my shoulders as he scratched his head with his other hand, messing up his already-disheveled bronze hair.

"How are you?" he inquired. "Feeling better?"

Of course, the memory of last night did not left my mind even once. Up to this point, I had only managed to push it to the farther regions of my mind, but I didn't forget it. Now that Orion had asked the question, it came back to me as clear as day.

But somehow, I at least felt slightly glad that Orion was here with me and would stay by my side. I began to recall his proclamation to never hurt me and then his profession of love for me. That immediately gave me the sense that I could make it through this situation.

"Kind of," I replied. "One good thing is that you're with me."

I felt his hand on my shoulder tighten slightly as he pulled me closer to him, leaving not even an inch of space between us. I relaxed and rested my head on his shoulder as my hand moved to hold his free hand. We entwined our fingers together, our palms pressing against each other gently.

"Orion?"

"Yes, Artemis?"

I took a deep breath before I began. "What you said to me last night was seriously the best thing I could ever hear from anyone. I realized now that I too feel the same way for you as you do me. I didn't think it was possible, but it was. I fell in love with you. I fell in love with your wit, your charms, your abilities, your kindness and your friendliness. But I also fell in love with your emotional strength and how you truly regret your actions and wish to not make any more of them in the future. I've never met a man who was as capable to learn how to change for the better as you, Orion. You truly are a good person."

I didn't turn my head to look to him after I had finished my words, but he tilted his head to rest his cheek on the top of my head. I could feel him breathe in the scent of my bistre hair and sighing blissfully.

"You're the first woman to ever speak of me so fondly like that," he murmured. "It feels so…. good. You are good, Artemis. Now, I truly wonder what I have done to make you fall in love with me."

I smiled at his question and finally turned my head to meet his eyes. I released my hold on his hand to cup his cheek gently. I slowly grazed it downwards, feeling his smooth yet slightly scarred skin, before moving it away. I replied, "You respected me. That's the most important thing you've done."

And suddenly, I frowned when the face of my golden-haired and bright blue-eyed brother appeared in my mind. The picture of him in my mind was one of nonchalance and serenity. I tried very hard to not let that image morph into the one of rage and fury as how I last saw him last night.

"I know that Apollo respected me as well," I murmured quietly. "But now that I think of it, I wonder if that respect is still there. If he had respected my decision to stay with you, he would not have been so engulfed in anger and jealousy."

To my surprise, Orion snorted in response.

"Why is he jealous?" he questioned with a frown. "Your twin brother is an almighty god and an Olympian. He is a figure of pure divine power and beauty, just like you. He is the dream man of many women's fantasies, with some willing to do anything just to have him in their bed for one night. I am only a mere demigod – the blood of a mortal still runs through my veins. I do not possess plenty of supernatural powers. I even have some sort of defect in me, for I am supposedly born of giant race but yet I am of normal human stature. So why must he become jealous of me?"

I gazed at Orion in amazement. I was amazed that he could still be humble and speak good qualities of my brother even when he was angry for what he had said and done to me. He did not speak of his anger openly, but I could see it in his eyes.

"He is jealous of you because of my purest affection for you," I explained. "In his eyes, he is afraid that my feelings for you would lead me to disregard my oath of virginity without much of thought. But in his heart, he is actually jealous that I would forget about him in favor of you. Of course, that is not true. What's more, he is being absolutely hypocritical."

"In what way is he?"

I sighed in frustration. "Apollo has many times forgotten about me whenever he is in a company of a beautiful female – be it a goddess, a nymph or a mortal. Of course, I became upset when he did that. But I never let it known because I wanted him to enjoy himself and I knew that he would come back to my side sooner or later. However, I never once forgotten about him when I was still with you. I was still there for him, but he was the one who distanced himself from me."

And then, I whipped my face to the side and let out a loud growl of anger. "He's just so unfair and selfish! I allowed him to be with others without complaint, but why can't he? What's more, he could still dare to proclaim me as his own! I don't belong to anyone! I am of my own free will!"

I realized then that I was on the verge of losing myself into my emotions and shut my mouth immediately before I could really lose it. I took a deep breath through my nostrils to calm myself down. Very soon, when I felt like my head was clear, I spoke again.

"I don't like to be angry at Apollo. And of course, I felt terrible that I had slapped him. But I could not stop myself. I was so angry that he dared to threaten me and insult you. When he called me a 'whore', you really don't know how hurt I was. I couldn't believe my own brother would dare to call me something that I am not and never will be."

Suddenly, I felt him grasp my shoulder and he said reassuringly, "Everything will be fine, Artemis. Whatever it is, I'm always here for you"

A smile tugged on my lips and I turned to meet his loving eyes. I then stood up, brushed away any dirt from the skirt of my tunic, and looked down at him.

"Well…. Since I'm here with you right now and I'm feeling quite hungry, what's say you and I hunt for some lunch? I'm in the mood for some roasted pheasant, to be honest."

Orion smiled and stood up as well. He then reached out for my hand and led me to where he had placed our weapons. When we were all set, we walked out of the forest, still hand-in-hand.

* * *

As he was walking in a hallway, making his way from the library to his room to compose new ballads on his lyre, Apollo was stopped by a voice.

"Apollo. I wish to speak with you."

He turned his head to glare at Athena, who was walking towards him with firm confidence in her steps. There was a glare etched onto her face and her lips were tightly pursed in disapproval.

"If you don't wish to anger me, I suggest you don't speak," he replied in a hard and annoyed voice before turning back to walk away.

But he could hear Athena following closely behind him and hastened to walk faster from him. But his older half-sister did the same and was then walking right beside him at the same pace. He rolled his eyes at how determined she was. Once she had set her mind on something, she will get it done right away.

"You shouldn't have said that to your sister," she began. "You know that she would never forget about you on purpose."

"Oh, and it's so coincidental that she 'accidentally' forgot about me when she was with that hunter of hers?" he replied with malice.

Athena let out a sigh of frustration. "Apollo, why are you being like this?" she questioned. "Even if she was in love with Orion and wishes to be with him, she would never forget you."

Apollo stopped walking and turned to face Athena. With his glare still plastered onto his face and his arms crossed, he asked, "She might as well start to do so. Especially now that she spends time with _him _than me."

"Don't say what you don't know," Athena snapped. "For Tartarus' sake, you shouldn't even have reacted the way you did! You're supposed to be smarter than that! If you just took the situation calmly or take the time to actually talk to your sister about it instead of fueling your rage, you wouldn't have angered her! She wouldn't have-"

"What?" he interjected harshly. "She wouldn't have what, Athena? Shouted at me? Slapped me? Run off to that demigod of hers for comfort? I could see it already. She doesn't need me anymore soon."

All of a sudden, he could feel a stinging sensation at the back of his eyes and he knew that tears were about to pour down soon. He turned his head away so that Athena couldn't see it. He whispered, "She'll just forget about me."

Athena shook her head in dismay. "She won't. Artemis loves you too much to do such a thing. All she would ever want for you is to be happy and enjoy yourself. If you had to face consequences of your actions, she was always there for you, in one way or another. But Apollo, you yourself need to stop acting like a fool and respect what she chooses. And if what you say about Orion really is true, if he really does try to hurt her, then return the favor and be there for her."

She gently placed a hand on Apollo's shoulder and was glad that he didn't push it away. "Take my advice. Apologize to Artemis. Learn to accept the fact that Orion would be with her. She is not that stupid enough to forget her maidenhood without a reason. And please don't do anything rash or impulsive, or else the situation would just take a turn for the worse."

Feeling that she had rested her case, Athena walked away quietly, leaving Apollo to stand by himself. In his thoughts, he took Athena's words into consideration. What she had said was powerful enough to strike him in the heart and leave him so confused with his feelings.

He did not want to be angry with Artemis. To be very honest, he hated that he had shouted at and threatened her. He did not like knowing that he had hurt her feelings. But he was so angry at the thought of Artemis being in love with Orion – he knew that was the truth – that he can't help but feel that things are going to go all wrong for him.

Apollo broke out from his thoughts when he noticed another presence in his vicinity. He turned his head to the side, and who he saw made his heart feel heavy.

His mother stood there, looking at him with sad eyes that were rimmed with red. Apollo could tell by her expression that she had heard the conversation that had went on between him and Athena. But when he looked closer into her royal blue eyes, he could tell that she knew just about everything.

He couldn't bear the sight of his mother looking so hurt, but he could not work up enough bravery to go up to her. He knew that in some way, he had hurt her too. Unable to bear the guilt he felt to both his older sister and his mother, he turned and walked away from his mother, feeling tears stream down his cheeks.

* * *

Author's Note:

The last chapter was indeed very popular among all of you. I'm glad you loved it! ^^

Yes, Apollo has gotten slightly insane with rage and jealousy. But deep down, he's still the kind and caring sibling that Artemis and everyone else loved him to be. Unfortunately, it would be quite a long time until that side of him made an appearance...

So, until Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	26. Chapter 25

_**Choices**_

We had hunted ourselves a few rabbits and some pheasants – small game - and made ourselves a delicious and hearty breakfast of roast meat. Afterwards, somewhere in the middle of the afternoon, I told Orion that I wished to go somewhere slightly far away from him to clean myself up. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he seemed nervous about letting me out of his sight, but he respected my decision after I had assured him that I would be fine and he promised to stay where he was before I went off, armed with my bow and arrows.

I eventually found a small hot spring about a hundred meters or so away from Orion's clearing. Though I was pretty sure that he would not break his promise to me and stay at his clearing, I had put up a protection field around the area just in case. It wasn't because I didn't trust him. It was just out of habit and caution. And since Orion and I weren't the only ones on Crete who would inhabit the forest, all the more reason to do so.

I usually did not use my powers to change clothes because I found the task to be too small and insignificant for the use of it. But since I was without any extra clothing, I had no other choice. I set aside my bow and quiver along with my hunting boots and then, with a snap of my fingers, my clothes – both my tunic and my underclothes – disappeared from my body into thin air, leaving me completely in the nude. I was not uncomfortable. I had roamed around in the wilderness naked many times before.

I checked my field to make sure that it was still strong and impenetrable. It was, and I finally went into the warm, bubbling waters of the spring. I let out a sigh of satisfaction when the warmth shot through my toes and traveled to the rest of my body.

The water only reached up to my waist so I either had to stand or sit down to wash. I opted for sitting.

As I rested my back and head against a smooth rock situated right in the middle of the spring, I gazed up above me and delved into my thoughts. Mainly it centered on both my brother and my hunter.

I seriously wondered how I was going to get everything to turn out well in the end. What I wanted was to have both Apollo and Orion in my life. I know, it sounded really selfish of me, but I really did wanted the both of them to be with me.

I wanted Apollo to continue being in my life. He was my twin brother and I loved and cared him with all of my heart. But at the same time, I wanted Orion to become a part of my life as well because he was the first man I fell in love with. And he proved himself worthy of my love because he loved me back and he even respected me.

What I really wanted was for Apollo to stop being angry and wrathful and maybe just learn to accept Orion. Or at least tolerate him. If he couldn't that, then the most logical thing for me to do was to be with neither of them. I won't stay with one if I couldn't have the other.

Urgh, this was so difficult! To be honest, Orion was not the problem here. It was Apollo. If only I could just convince him to just let go of the hate and try to accept him. I really did wanted to talk to him about it, but he was sure to just push me away and distance himself from me. If he didn't do that, then I might have a shot to at least try.

_Please, Apollo…._ I pleaded in my mind, as though hoping he could hear it. But I doubt that he would.

I let out a heavy, disheartened sigh and proceeded to wash myself thoroughly. When I felt that I was completely clean, I stepped out of the hot spring and conjured up a towel for me to dry myself off. I made the towel disappear after that and made some underclothes appear on my body before I conjured up clothing. I settled for a simple knee-length reddish-brown halter dress with gold embroidery with a leather belt and a pair of leather wrist guards. I thought about my hair for a while before I decided for just a simple wooden circlet.

I looked at my reflection in the water and made sure that I looked alright. Now that Orion and I were now…. lovers (I feel slightly strange referring to ourselves as _that_), I felt a strong urge to make myself look pretty for him. Though being beautiful never was such a daunting task for me or any of the other deities, I still felt the need to do so.

When I was satisfied with my appearance, I put my hunting boots back on, slung the strap of my quiver on my shoulder and gripped my bow before leaving the area and making my way back to the clearing.

When I got back, it was just in time to see Orion tying the sash of his new fresh and clean chiton, which was indigo in color. It was absolutely lucky that he was already wearing his clothes by the time I reached. Though I was very much in love with him, I don't think I was at that stage where I would do something even more intimate than hugging and kissing with him.

"I took the opportunity to wash up somewhere else while you were gone," he said to me without looking up from his sash. Then, when the sash was tied into a knot, he looked up and continued on. "I made sure to get back before you did, so that you wouldn't need to worry."

I put down my bow and quiver on the ground and approached him. He rested both his hands on my waist tenderly while I grasped his shoulders as I looked into his green eyes with a smile. "That is really thoughtful of you, Orion," I told him.

I craned my neck and gave him a kiss on his cheek. His lips pulled into a smile and he let out a sigh of satisfaction.

"Now that I know you return my feelings of love for you, that really feels a hundred times better," he mused blissfully. "You know, when you kissed me on the cheek yesterday, I swear I felt my heart stop from happiness."

Speaking of which, that reminded me of something.

"Yesterday, did you mean to kiss me when we were on the rock?" I asked him curiously.

When I asked that question, I saw a faint blush blooming on his cheeks. Orion's smile turned into one of shyness and he sheepishly nodded his head. "I thought it would be the perfect moment to profess my feelings to you. I wish to be completely honest with you. I actually planned the picnic because I wanted to make you happy and maybe in hopes that it could give me courage to tell you how I feel for you. But then -"

He bit his bottom lip, his eyes suddenly looking hesitant to continue. But he need not be afraid of what he was to say because I already know.

"I remembered about my brother," I finished his sentence in a sigh. "I'm sorry that I had to stop you from telling me the truth."

He shook his head and hauled my waist closer so that my body was pressed to his. "It's alright," he murmured.

_He is so good to me…_ I thought to myself as I gazed up at his face. _Truly, I have never met a better man than him before. I'm so blessed to have him with me._

I wound my arms around his neck and hugged him. "If only I could do something about him, Orion," I murmured against the soft skin of his neck. "If only there was a way I could get him to get over it. If I only I had a good enough reason to convince him."

Orion sighed heavily into my hair and hugged me tightly around my torso. "We'll find a way. If I must, I would go up to him myself and declare that I would never hurt you. If I have to, I would go to him personally and say that I love you so much that I cannot leave you even if I was forced to, whether by him or by any other force."

Suddenly, a fire of anger erupted within me. I let out a growl and pushed myself away from Orion, breaking out of his hug. He gasped and looked at me in confusion. I didn't push away from him because I was suddenly repulsed by or angry at him, but because I was angry at how difficult the situation really was.

"It won't be easy," I muttered in a low breath. "Apollo is more stubborn than you think. It would be very difficult to make him let go of a grudge."

At times, I really think to myself at how Apollo was similar to Hera in a way. Both could never lift a grudge they have against anyone else so easily. Apollo's case being Orion while Hera's case being Zeus' lovers and bastard children, me included.

I turned, facing away from Orion, and paced pointlessly as I let out my frustration.

I began with firm exertion. "I need to get it into Apollo's head that there is no way I am ever going to leave you. I need to put my foot down and tell him that he needs to let me be with whomever I choose to be and that I belong to no one by myself. I need to convince that you are harmless and there is nothing for him to fear of you. I need to assure him that I would be by his side, no matter what."

I stopped in my tracks, still facing away from him and with my hands balled into fists, as I proclaimed my final plan.

"But most importantly, I wish for you to be with me forever. Because I truly do love you and I'm very sure now that I don't think I can bear not having you by my side."

He finally spoke after keeping quiet to allow me to speak.

"Then marry me."

Like other times before, I felt as though time had come to a stand-still.

In an instant, I whipped around and stared at him in shock and confusion. I felt the pace of my heartbeat increase slightly as my eyebrows pulled into a confused and disbelieving frown. My lips were parted slightly with the intention to speak, but I found that no words could come to my tongue for a while.

"What?" I finally questioned under my breath, unsure of whether or not I had heard correctly.

Orion did not answer immediately. He kept his eyes on the ground as he pursed his lips in hesitation and nervousness and drummed his fingers against his thighs. Finally, he slowly lifted his eyes to look at me and slowly walked closer. When he stood right in front of me, he gently grasped my hands in his and held my gaze.

"If you marry me, I would have a better chance of convincing your brother that I wished for no bad air between the both him and I. And hopefully, he would accept the fact that I am already married to you. I can personally go up to him and forgive him for anything I had done to anger him. But most importantly, we would be together, bonded in mind, body and soul. We would declare ourselves as belonging to none other than each other."

Without letting go of my hands and without his teal green eyes breaking away from my midnight blue ones, Orion slowly went down on his knees and kissed the knuckles of both my hands. I felt my breathing hitch and my heartbeat increasing tenfold. I could feel its powerful beating.

"Artemis," he whispered my name so sweet and lovingly. "Will you marry me?"

I did not say anything immediately. I just stared at him, a mess of emotions developing in my immortal heart. Never before would I have thought I would experience such a thing. Why should I expect something like this to happen? I was a sworn virgin, and thus I did not expect for a proposal. Attempts of others to court – or violate – me, I had expected. But not an actual proper marriage proposal.

Orion seemed to have taken my silence as hesitation or disagreement. "I understand that you would not know what to decide due to your oath of virginity," he said in a serious but hopeful voice. "But if you marry me, I promise-"

He did not finish his sentence, because I had silenced him by kneeling down and kissing him on the lips.

I could feel the surprise he felt at our sudden contact, but he responded quickly by kissing me back gently at first and then passionately as more seconds passed. I entwined my fingers in his locks of bronze hair as he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close to him.

When we both finally pulled back, we were gasping for breath and pressing our foreheads gently together. As we gazed deeply into each other's eyes, a smile played on both our lips and we laughed happily in unison.

"Yes," I sighed when the giggles in me faded. "Yes, I will marry you."

For a short second, my mind was full of hesitation and confusion. What in the name of Mount Olympus was I doing? I had promise to myself to remain a virgin for all eternity ever since I was three years old, which also became one of my six birthday wishes that I had requested from Zeus. But yet, was I truly willing to give it up for Orion? Because I had accepted his proposal of marriage, I knew that would immediately make my oath null and void once I had properly married him.

But then again, I began to recall that one little condition that Zeus had bestowed upon the wish. The wish to remain a forever maiden wasn't exactly entirely permanent. I could stay a virgin for however long I want. But if my heart desires for love of the more intimate kind from someone who truly deserved it, then I have the choice to annul that oath. I was immune to Aphrodite's powers of love (much to her disdain) so that I wouldn't be forced to love someone and would instead act upon my own heart.

Besides, if I wished to stay a virgin a little while longer if I was indeed married, I was sure Orion wouldn't mind and would instead wait until I was sure that I was ready to give my all to him.

And I did hope that by marrying Orion, it would be a good chance to show Apollo that he would never do anything to hurt me. But yet, I must also be mindful of still devoting some of my time to him as his sister and companion. I would swear upon Styx to do such a thing if I had to. I could only hope that Apollo had calm down and would be more willing to compromise than continue to give me the cold shoulder.

I was suddenly pulled out from my thoughts when Orion stood up, pulling me up with him. I only had mere seconds to regain myself before he lifted me into the air by the waist and spun me around gaily several times with a bright smile on his face.

I squealed in surprise but smiled at the sight of him so happy. The curve of his beautiful smile on his thin, masculine lips really did set off some sort of spark within me that made me burst with emotions. I laughed brightly with him, enjoying this moment of pure happiness.

When Orion set me down on my feet, his hands, which never left my waist, wound around me once again and hugged me to him, his face buried in my wavy bistre hair. I immediately responded by hugging him back affectionately, my own face buried in the crook of his neck. The both of us just stood there for a while, just enjoying the loving embrace.

All of a sudden, I felt Orion's hands moving up to grasp my arms and he pulled me away to hold me at arms' length. With a sparkle in his eyes, he said, "I think this calls for a little bit of celebrating. So, what's say you and I dance for a while? I have heard from many that you have a liking to dance in forests, Lady Artemis."

I swatted his hand slightly in disapproval of him referring me as 'Lady'. I was to be his wife (felt _very _strange thinking of myself as _that_) so of course I would disapprove him from addressing me so formally.

With a grin, I grasped both his hands in mine. Very soon, we were dancing throughout the forest together, the land basking in the glowing auras we radiated together.

* * *

_Maybe it won't be so bad…. Maybe it won't…. Just do it…. For Artemis…._

Apollo was by his lonesome in one of the farther regions of the palace gardens, pacing aimlessly as he became so wrapped up in his thoughts. He came to the gardens just for the solitude it provided to help him clear his complicated mind and think. He had been there for at least two hours now.

His mind was full of Artemis, his precious older twin sister. He tried to recollect every happy thought of her; her smile, her laugh, her kindness, her caring nature and her protective side. Those were the traits she had when she was always around him. But now, he was afraid that his improper behavior has caused him to lose favors of those special traits of hers.

He wanted to gain her forgiveness. That would be quite a difficult task since Artemis has quite a reputation for being an unforgiving goddess to those who have really crossed her, be it deity, being or mortal. Even if he was her brother, Apollo knew that he would have to earn her forgiveness somehow, and that would not be easy.

Apollo tried to think of every possible way to gain her forgiveness. He could send her extravagant gifts, but it would be foolish of him to win her back with presents. He could write a new hymn or a ballad or both and dedicate it especially to her, but that might not work so well. Or he could just act as if nothing had happened and carry on as per normal, but he knew that would only bring even worse results or none at all.

When he came to the final idea, he cringed for it was the one he was trying best to avoid.

Unfortunately, coming to terms with Orion was maybe the best and only way to win Artemis back.

Apollo wanted to hit himself for even thinking of accepting _him_. It was because of _him _he and his sister fought the worst fight that could ever come between them. It was because of _him _the strong bonds holding the both of them were beginning to show cracks. It was because of _him_ there was a risk of them being separated from one another.

But he knew he had no choice. It was the only way to win back his sister. He only hoped that he would be able to find the willpower to tolerate Orion.

Apollo finally stopped his pacing and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head once again. To relax, he looked upwards at the sky and gazed at the flock of birds flying aimlessly in the dull orange sky.

_It's going to be evening soon. _he realized to himself. _I better get my chariot ready._

So he walked out of the clearing quietly, but his mind was full of Artemis once again.

* * *

Author's Note:

I updated a day early because I would be leaving tomorrow for Malaysia to visit some relatives. Updates would resume to normal on Monday.

On another note, this has to be absolutely one of my most favorite chapters that I have ever wrote. When I did research on Orion, it usually described Artemis as being the one who had proposed marriage, with him being only half-agreeable. So I decided to change that for my own liking. Orion proposing to Artemis and her agreeing would have to absolutely be one of the most best things to happen in this story :)

By the way, do not be weirded out by the fact that Orion proposed to Artemis just a few hours after they shared their first kiss and admitted their feelings for each other. Love is always absolutely strange in Greek Mythology. Just look at Hades and Persephone.

Speaking of which! An announcement to all my Hades and Persephone fans! I had released a new fanfiction on them a few days ago. This fanfiction would be completely different from my usual Hades and Persephone fics. Check it out! And maybe leave a review? :)

One interesting thing I thought I could share with all of you; The hotel I would be staying in Malaysia is called **_The__ Orion_**.

The Fates must be playing with me...

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	27. Chapter 26

_**Breaking the News**_

Orion and I had such a fun time with each other. For the following few hours, we danced to our hearts' content, laughed together and just smiled at each other.

At one point, as we sat beside each other on a high branch of a tree and looked out at the beautiful view of the forest, I started to sing a song. It was a song that I had heard some years ago from a group of young mortal girls. From what I could tell from the lyrics, it was a song about finding new love and cherishing it as it blossoms into something even greater and more beautiful. It was absolutely perfect for what I feel right now.

As I sang, I was well aware of Orion gazing at me in complete awe and amazement. He looked as though he was seeing something so beautiful that it seemed almost too impossible to be real. I also realized that he was not my only audience. Up above on the higher branches sat birds who chirped happily; their happy chirps interlaced with my singing and created an absolutely beautiful piece. Down below on the forest grounds, many creatures – stags, bucks, deers, rabbits and etc – too looked up with curiosity and amazement seen in their beady eyes.

When I had finished singing, Orion rested his hand atop my own and squeezed gently as he complimented me, telling me that my singing was like 'sweet honey pouring gently and smoothly from a priceless silver jug'. I blushed at his wonderful compliment and gave him my thanks.

Unfortunately, our moments of merrymaking had to come to an end when I noticed the sky had transitioned from being pale blue to a dull pale orange, signifying that evening was to approach. That meant that I had to return to Mount Olympus to bring the moon.

I will admit that I was slightly hesitant to leave because I did not wish to leave Orion's side just yet and I was still afraid that Apollo may still be in the most terrible of moods. But I knew that I had to leave for I had duties to the moon to fulfill What's more, it's about time I should return home. The others were sure to worry about me and I did not wish to worry them even more.

With a heavy sigh, I told Orion that I had to leave and return to Mount Olympus. He seemed disheartened by the news, but so willingly followed me back to the beach. We made a stop at his clearing first to collect my bow, quiver and stone-blade hunting dagger

When we reached the beach, I found my steeds grazing on grass. The both of them looked up instantly and neighed in unison at the sight of me and Orion. As expected, they immediately trotted over to him and started showcasing their fond affection of him by nuzzling his hair with their snouts and wanting to have him run his fingers through their silky white manes.

As the female steed nuzzled her snout into the crook of his neck, Orion exclaimed in a joking laugh, "Now, now! Don't get too affectionate with me! Or your mistress here would be awfully jealous of you! Hey, that really tickles! Stop it!"

I rolled my eyes at my fiancé (seriously felt really strange calling him that, but it was truth…) in amusement and clucked my tongue at both my steeds. They answered immediately and got ready to be fastened to the chariot. As expected, Orion offered to lend me a helping hand, so I had him secure the reins while I secured the harnesses. When everything was set and I was all ready to report for duty and return home, I once again stood in front of him.

"Today was a wonderful day for me, Artemis. And I have no one else but you to thank for it," he told me graciously with his heart-warming smile before leaning in to plant a soft and gentle kiss on my forehead. As always, the feel of his lips on mine were heavenly. But I started to wonder to myself why did I start to have these feelings? Was it because of love? Or was it because he already had a sort of specialty in him?

When his lips slowly pulled away, I tilted my head up to look at him. "I should be thanking you for the same thing, Orion," I beamed. "I never thought that there would ever be a man that deserves my heart. You proved me wrong, and gave me so much more. Truly, I would be happy to marry you." Then, in a small voice, I added, "Nervous, yes. But happy all the same."

I stood on my tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on each of his cheeks before pressing it to his lips. He sighed blissfully and began to shape his lips against mine. For all the kisses we shared, Orion had never been aggressive. He always took it slowly and gently, soft with that feel of passion. And each time we pull away, I could always feel a tingling sensation on my lips and still taste the sweetness that his lips had left on mine.

It was the horses' urgent neighing that caused me to (hesitantly) pull away from Orion and wonder what the matter with them was. The male was tossing his head towards the direction of the sky while the female was stamping on one hoof impatiently. Instantly, I knew that they meant for me to make a move on now to raise the moon.

Beside me, Orion chuckled, his warm breath caressing the side of my face and sending a shiver of comfort up my spine. "Go," he instructed with a laugh. "Go before your winged steeds attack me for holding you up."

I laughed in return and nodded my head obediently. I awarded him with one final peck to his lips before pulling away and boarding my chariot. But just I had held the reins firmly in my hands, I turned my head to look at him once again, only to find him still gazing at me.

"Orion? Can you please promise me something?"

Orion nodded his head. "Of course, Artemis. Anything," he replied.

I gazed at him as I felt a hint of worry in my heart. All of a sudden, I was feeling afraid and nervous of leaving him alone. I was now uncomfortable with the fact that, until the next day, I would be somewhere I could not reach him or protect him if there were any dangers. Yes, I knew that Orion was absolutely more than capable of taking care of himself, but the fretting feeling still continued to gnaw at my gut.

"Can you please be careful and take care of yourself?" I quavered. "I know that you would be able to do so, but please just promise me."

Orion pulled his eyebrows into a concerned frown, probably wondering why I was asking him to do such. But without hesitation and objection, he nodded his head.

"Of course, I will," he reassured with that gentle smile of his. "I promise."

Feeling less nervous and slightly reassured, I nodded my head in thanks. "Goodbye, love. I shall see you at dawn."

With one final smile to him, I finally ordered my steeds to take off. When we were finally in the air, I couldn't help but turn my head back to look at the man who would soon be my husband. Only when Crete had finally faded from my view did I turn away.

As I rode my airborne chariot, I began to recall what had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Actually, there were so many things that had happened. There was Apollo's aggressive confrontation at the dining hall, my vicious fight with him, Orion professing his love for me and his proposal of marriage.

I don't even know whether or not my mind had fully registered everything. It was just so much to take in. I can't believe that in the past twenty-four hours, I had the worst fight with Apollo, I actually professed love for a man and I had agreed to marry that said man. It was just so… unnatural of me. What was happening to me that was making me do things I never thought I would do?

Most importantly, was it the right thing to do? My head's telling me '_Yes_', but my heart's telling me '_I don't know_'.

"What do the both of you think?" I asked blankly to my horses. But because they couldn't talk, of course they didn't answer me. I heaved a heavy sigh and kept my gaze to the front.

Finally, after a while, I saw the radiant bright gold and white marble of the palace from a distance and the moon appearing from across the horizon. At the same time, I caught sight of a golden chariot flying towards the setting sun.

"Apollo…" I murmured under my breath.

My heart immediately became heavy with emotion when I could see the sky blue eyes of my brother looking at me, even though we were far apart from each other. I could see in his blue orbs that there was still anger and disappointment. However, I could clearly notice that it was interlaced with other emotions of well.

To name a few were sadness, shame, remorse and, most of all, guilt.

Apollo finally turned away when his chariot approached the sun. His celestial orb became attracted to the chariot immediately and was pulled along with it slowly due to the interactive forces between. With his attentions away from me, I called out to my steeds and instructed them to go to the moon. They neighed once in reply and flapped their large feathered wings towards my celestial orb.

As the moon followed my chariot, I couldn't help but glance at Apollo, who had already set the sun and was making his way back now. I wondered to myself what would he do in the time that was to come? Would he apologize, or would he just ignore me?

When the moon situated itself in the middle of the dark night sky and the stars were already twinkling brightly, I proceeded to make my way back to the palace. When I reached, I found that Apollo was already gone, with stable boys working on the horses of his chariot. One of them came up to me and asked if I would like for him to settle my horses. I smiled to him and thanked him before I made my way for dinner.

As I walked slowly to the dining hall, I kept thinking about Orion and realized that I would have to announce to the others that I had decided to be married to Orion. I know that maybe I should keep it to myself for a few days or I shouldn't tell them at all, but such matters are important business that cannot be ignored. It would be considered even more important in my case because I was a sworn virgin who had decided to wed. And besides, even if Orion and I married in secret, it wouldn't be long until the truth was out. There was always a way for the truth to escape its confines and be out in the open, thus causing complete and utter chaos in its wake. I mean, take Hades and Persephone for example.

I was already reaching the dining hall and I took plenty of deep breaths before I walked straight in. The others had already started eating as they chatted with one another, but all stopped and became silent when I appeared.

I did nothing but stand at the door and look at each and every one of them uncomfortably. I could read many emotions from their colorful eyes. I even saw some glancing uncertainly at Apollo, who looked at me indifferently.

It was Zeus who broke the silence first. He cleared his throat, somehow to break the awkward and uncomfortable tension, and said, "Artemis. You have returned."

I told myself to nod my head and reply to his statement. But I realized that my jaw was taught and my tongue felt numb and heavy. My mind was clouded except for the thought of announcing my engagement to Orion. All I could think of was _Tell them_.

"I have an announcement to make," I finally said, my voice loud but stiff.

Everybody remained silent, waiting for me to continue. I parted my lips to speak once again. But at that moment, anxiety hit me full force.

"I…. I…. I…."

My throat felt like it was being strangled, my voice felt gone, words were unable to come to my tongue, my fingers were twitching uncontrollably and my mind was all jumbled up. How was I to tell them? It was extremely difficult and I was unsure of the reception I would receive.

But I had to do it! Something as important as this cannot be ignored. Prolonging the news for a longer time or keeping it a secret or both would not make matters better. It was either I do it now or make the situation worse by holding it back.

Immediately, I gasped the answer out.

"I am going to marry Orion."

As I regained my breathing, I heard the gasps of shock and the clanking of silverware against the plates and the table as it fell from the hands of their holders. I looked at the face of each and every one of them. Most of them had their eyes widened to the size of coins and their mouths gaping open slightly. Only one remained indifferent, and that one was none other than Apollo.

"Do you jest, Artemis?" Zeus questioned me from the head of the table, his eyes wide with shock and speculation. Beside him, Hera looked at me in shock and disbelief with her eyebrows pulled into a confused frown.

I shook my head immediately. "I do not jest, Lord Zeus," I answered him in a level voice. "Orion has proposed marriage to me personally and I have accepted."

"But you're a sworn maiden," Hera pointed out with a tone of curiosity and disbelief in her serious voice.

I had expected this question. Of course I would. Everybody would be confused by why I, a sworn maiden, had just announced that I was getting married when I was supposedly to abide a vow of chastity.

"I was given the choice to decide when I wish to discontinue my oath whenever I wish. And just because I have sworn an oath of chastity does not necessarily mean I am forbidden to marry. I may choose whether or not I would immediately consummate with Orion if I do marry him."

With another deep breath, I continued on. "Lord Zeus. Do I have your permission to marry Orion?"

I wanted permission from Zeus because he was still my father and it was he who had given me my wish to remain a virgin and also the option to choose when to discontinue it.

Zeus became very deep in thought and rubbed his bearded jaw in consideration. Beside him, Hera's shining honey eyes watched him intently. So did the eyes of the others, who were all waiting to hear his response.

"I did tell you when you were three years old that you may choose to annul your oath only if you think the man you are giving your heart to is worthy," Zeus finally said after a few heartbeats of silence. His steel grey eyes held the steady gaze of my midnight blue ones, allowing me to see how hard he was pondering on the request. "Do you think that Orion, the son of Poseidon, is worthy of your heart, Artemis?"

I have thought of this question for far too many times to know the answer. It was a firm decision that I had made upon myself after being with Orion for so long.

"Yes," I replied confidently. "Orion has proven himself worthy of my heart."

Zeus bowed his head once in acknowledgement. Suddenly, he stood up, taking his chalice of liquor in his right hand, and said aloud with a smile, "Then I give you my permission, and my blessing, to marry Orion. My most heartiest congratulations to you, Artemis."

He then raised his chalice to me before bringing it to his lips to drink the liquid. Slowly, the rest of them, including Hera (much to my shock!), did the same; all raised their cups to me and announced their congratulations to me. As I looked around at each of their faces, I could see a proud smile etched on the lips of Athena, Hermes, Dionysus, Hestia and, shockingly, Aphrodite.

I felt a smile tug on my lips as a sea of emotions overwhelmed my heart. I couldn't believe that what's done was done; I was about to marry Orion and my family knew. They were smiling and cheering for me.

But that suddenly changed when I rested my eyes upon Apollo.

He was frowning, but the frown was more sad than angry. His bright sky blue eyes were filled with tears, with a few escaping and streaming down his cheeks. His lips were pressed tightly, but I could see clearly that it was quivering in his attempt to not break down in tears. With a shaky hand, he lifted his glass to me unenthusiastically.

My heart started slowing down and cracking at the sight of him looking so distraught. In an instant, I made my way towards him, forgetting about the cheeriness and the heartiest of congratulations that were still coming from the others. But the others too stopped and kept quiet as they watched me.

"Apollo…" I began gently when I had approached him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Please understand that I do love him… I know that he would never hurt me… But please remember that I would never forget you…. Never... Damn me to Tartarus if I do..."

Apollo said nothing and just quietly placed his chalice on the table. And then, he gently pushed away the hand on his shoulder and got up from his chair to exit the hall. I could only watch helplessly as he left.

But one good thing was that he did not blow up as I had expected him to. Maybe there will be improvement.

I hope.

* * *

Apollo could think of nowhere else to go to cry expect his room. He might as well cry himself to sleep.

But just as he was about to start on the sixth flight of stairs - the second to last flight before reaching the fourth floor, which housed the rooms of the Olympians - he was stopped when someone's hand grasped his shoulder and pulled him around.

In just a second, he was enveloped in the embrace of his mother.

Apollo did not hesitate and immediately hugged Leto back as well. He was taller than his mother by half a foot, so he had to bow his head down slightly to bury his face in her very dark brown wavy hair. With his face hidden, he allowed the tears to fall from his eyes, but he remained silent.

"My son, do not cry…." he heard his mother say soothingly to him. "Please… Be happy for your sister. She would have wanted nothing but the same for you… Please, Apollo…. Let go of your hate… It will not bring you joy…."

The truth was Apollo _did_ want to be happy for his sister. Naturally, anything that made her happy would also make him happy. It was kind of like some sort of basic rule of the universe for them since they were born. But if what was making her happy was the object of his hatred, then that was too impossible for him.

"I don't know if I can, Mother…" he admitted quietly and guiltily. It pained him to say those words, but it was truth.

With no more words left to say, Apollo silently got out of his mother's embrace and continued his retreat to his room.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, hello! I am back from vacation!

The hotel turned out to actually be a rented condo, but it was still lovely all the same. I can't help looking at the name every morning (_hehehe... The Orion... It even had the actual constellation as the logo!_)

Anyway, I am very well aware that some of you guys think that the story is going pretty slow. I just wanted to say that I don't think it's slow, just moderate. And I don't wish to make the story too fast-paced and direct and have the ending come quickly. I'd like to take my time and focus on some scenes that will focus more on the budding love between Artemis and Orion and Apollo's descension into insane jealousy, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, anyway! I am currently starting on the next chapter and it would include a moment that had been one of the very first starting points of the story. And the question now is; Why exactly did Apollo cry instead of exploding into rage? (Maybe because of his drama queen tendencies :P)

Tune in this Friday and you'll find out! :)

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	28. Chapter 27

_**Poseidon's Joy**_

After dinner, Hermes left the palace to inform Demeter and Persephone, Poseidon and Amphitrite and Hades of the news. Meanwhile, I remained on Mount Olympus, surrounded by the cheeriness of Hestia, Athena and, unsurprisingly, Aphrodite, who was accompanied by her Charites.

In the lounge, Hestia sat with womanly etiquette on a white wrought iron chair with a single yellow silk pillow while the rest of us rested upon colorful woolen carpets and mounds of colorful silk pillows. They were chatting excitedly about my engagement to Orion while I awkwardly stayed silent and listened to their conversation.

"I just knew it would end up like this!" Aphrodite guffawed loudly. "I remember when you were still denying any feelings for Orion other than friendliness! Now look! You are going to get married to him! You had just eaten your own words!"

My eyebrows pulled into a frown and my eyes glared hotly at the mocking Love Goddess. But against my will, cheeks reddened slightly as well when I recalled the memory of how Aphrodite and I had a slight confrontation in one of the empty rooms of the palace. I remembered how I had firmly said to her that I just considered Orion as a friend. I hated to admit that she was right; I did just eat my own words.

Athena, who was sitting right beside me, rolled her eyes and replied with mild irritation, "Alright, alright. We get it, Aphrodite." Then, she turned to me and gave me a heart-warming and encouraging smile. "I must admit that I have never actually expected a day like this to come. But anyway, my most sincere congratulations for you, Artemis. Orion is sure to be a good and suitable husband."

I dropped the angry façade I had created for Aphrodite and turned it into one of gratefulness.

"Thank you. But I am feeling quite hesitant about it," I admitted quietly. Before any of them could ask why, I continued on. "If I do choose to… officialise... my marriage to Orion, it would mean that I would not be considered a virgin goddess anymore. My title would be annulled. I don't know if I would be willing to part with it. I've been a virgin goddess for several hundred years – my entire life, actually - and it's become a part of me. I'm afraid that losing it would be equivalent to losing a part of myself."

I heard a disapproving _tsk_ coming from Hestia.

"Don't think of it like that, Artemis. Although it may be true, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is a bad thing. Even if you do not continue to become a virgin goddess, you would still be the almighty Olympian Goddess of the Hunt, the Wild and the Moon. Without you, the mortals would not have anyone to worship for their bountiful game, the natural beauty and supplies that the wildlands provide and the moonbeams that illuminate in the darkness of night and allow them to see clearly. What's more, you are also the Goddess of Fertility and Childbirth for females. You are already known as the Lady of Ephesus, the great Mother Goddess. By actually being a mother yourself, come the day when you finally decide to bear a child of your own, you would be able to garner more acknowledgement and reputation of your status as one of the Mother Goddesses of Mount Olympus."

Hestia's speech immediately made me delve into an array of thoughts and consideration. Yes, I did feel saddened and afraid of losing my virginity, my status as one of the most important virgin goddess in the pantheon and the role of guardian of maidenhood. But I could clearly see that I could also benefit from it by continuing my role as the goddess of hunters and wildlife, enhancing my role as a Mother Goddess and gain even more formidability as a patroness of female fertility and birthing women.

Besides, I was not the only virgin goddess on Mount Olympus. Maybe I could pass on the role of guardian of maidenhood and young girls to a younger goddess who would have potential, just as Selene had passed on her role as the Moon's keeper to me.

I let out a soft sigh and nodded my head in understanding. "Maybe you are right, Aunt Hestia," I realized. "I could still have an important role to play, even when I no longer am a virgin."

Aphrodite beamed instantly. "Good of you to think that way, Artemis," she exclaimed proudly. "For a second, I thought you were going to get all nervous and snappy about it."

Both Athena and I gave her an annoyed glare at the same time as Hestia rolled her eyes. The Charites looked at their mistress in slight worry and disapproval while Aphrodite remained clueless.

But all of us got out of our current states when a loud voice boomed from the entrance of the lounge.

"There she is! My future daughter-in-law!" Poseidon crowed with loud delight as he walked towards me with big strides and outstretched, welcoming arms. Behind him, Amphitrite walked gracefully with a beautiful smile on her coral pink lips.

I stood up immediately, the long skirt of my dress falling to my ankles. I was about to bow to Poseidon in greeting, as usual, but before I could do so, my uncle had wrapped his burly arms around me and trapped me in a big bear hug. The force of his hug was enough to knock the breath out of me, which was slightly worse now considering the fact that I was being pressed against his frame. I couldn't even move my arms, which were at my sides, because of his tight embrace!

As I was gasping for air with my left cheek pressing flat and uncomfortably against his right shoulder, Poseidon was laughing joyfully. His laugh was so powerful that I could even feel the vibrations coming from within the center of his chest. From the side of my eyes, I saw Amphitrite and the rest of the ladies laughing in amusement.

"You honestly do not know how happy I was when Hermes came to my palace and delivered the wonderful news!" Poseidon bellowed. "I still cannot believe that you have accepted to be wed to Orion! I cannot thank you enough for gifting my son with your hand in marriage!"

Still struggling to breathe, I replied in a strained voice, "Uh…. You're… welcome, Uncle… Poseidon."

Hestia took this as a time to rescue me from near-suffocation. "Brother? The future bride is struggling for air in your embrace," she pointed out in a mixture of disapproval and amusement.

Poseidon finally realized it and immediately released me from his hold. I stumbled out of his embrace and began inhaling lungfuls of air to replenish my oxygen level.

"So sorry, dear niece!" Poseidon apologized loudly but sincerely. "I guess I was being a tad too excited!"

I was still trying to catch my breath, but I managed to lift a hand and reply, "It's alright… I understand…"

When I felt like I could breathe normally once again, I straightened myself out and looked at everyone. There was a smile on the lips of everyone, with Poseidon's being the biggest and the brightest. I was slightly taken aback by how very jubilant he looked. Even his sea green eyes were somewhat sparkling.

I cleared my throat quickly before asking with a polite smile, "So what brings the both of you here from your underwater kingdom?"

It was Amphitrite who answered. "We only wish to drop by to give you our biggest congratulations on your engagement to Orion. Both my husband and I are truly happy for you," she told me with her very pretty smile.

And then, she cupped her hands together and conjured up a big dusty pink clam shell that managed to fit in her hands. Judging by the size of it, I concluded that the shell acted as some kind of container and it held something inside. With the shell placed in her left hand while her right opened the lid, Amphitrite revealed what was inside.

I let out a soundless gasp.

Resting on sandy yellow silk padding was a necklace consisting only of real, genuine pearls that were all of a bright, off-white color Each pearl was round, smooth and exquisite and it also seemed to glow with the lighting that came from the fire in the hearth in the center of the lounge.

"Oh, my…" I murmured in awe. "This is… beautiful."

"This is for you," Poseidon informed with a grin.

"An engagement gift from Poseidon and me," Amphitrite explained, her pale turquoise eyes looking at me happily. "We had it made especially for you once we heard the news. Thankfully it was completed immediately and without flaw."

One of the Charites, Thalia, approached the Nereid queen and offered to hold the shell for her. Amphitrite thanked her and placed the shell in the girl's hands before lifting the pearl necklace out of the container. She unclasped the necklace before putting it around my neck and clasping it back.

Amphitrite then pulled her hands away, leaving me with the necklace. Gently, I lifted a hand to the necklace and felt the pearls with my fingers. Despite their solid spherical form, they felt like smooth and soft silk to my fingertips. I gasped in surprise for I had not expected them to feel like that.

Hestia got off from her seat and came to my side. She placed a warm hand on my shoulder as her warm and bright yellow eyes gazed at the pearl necklace around my neck in amazement. "It looks absolutely beautiful on you, Artemis," she told me with a kind smile. "Certainly a treasure of the oceans."

Aphrodite approached her side and added with an equally amazed expression, "I have to agree with Hestia. That pearl necklace is truly a treasure."

From the sides, Poseidon chuckled heartily. "Well, of course it is!" he proclaimed proudly. "Suited for the future bride of my son! But this is only the beginning! There shall be more extravagant gifts for you once it comes the day you marry Orion."

On the inside, I laughed at the mental image of being showered by so many gifts by my uncle. The image really was comical, but I appreciated that he seemed so jubilant to do so just because I was to marry one of his many sons.

"Thank you, Uncle and Amphitrite," I told them graciously. "I appreciate all this very much. And let me tell you that I truly am happy to be marrying Orion. I didn't think that there would ever be a man that was suitable for me. Orion proved me wrong."

Poseidon's huge smile of excitement and pride softened into a smile of happiness and sincerity. He reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. As he held my gaze, he said, "I'm just glad to know that you've made Orion so happy for the past few days. When he speaks to me at night, he always speaks of you with so much love and admiration and there is always this sort of glint in his eyes to show how happy he really was. To be honest, I don't think I have ever seen him so full of joy before."

Then with one friendly pat on my shoulder, Poseidon told me, "You must be the best thing to have ever happened to him."

When he pulled his hand away, Amphitrite hugged me gently and once again said her congratulations. I hugged her back and thanked her before we kissed each other on the cheeks and pulled away.

The King and Queen of the Seas then bade all of us ladies goodnight and farewell before leaving. As I stood where I was, watching the both of them leaving, I lifted a hand to the necklace and felt the beautiful hard-yet-soft and silky pearls once again.

"Well, well, well," I heard Athena say with amusement beside me. "I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of your shower of engagement presents."

I broke into a fit of giggles at the thought of it.

* * *

Orion lay contently on his back on the fine, powdery white sand of the beach, gazing up dreamily at the shining silvery-white full moon that hung above him in the dark and starry night sky. As he stared at the beautiful orb that lit the world in the darkness, he thought of her.

Artemis.

He sighed as the image of his lovely and loving goddess appeared in his mind. He remembered every single detail of her immense beauty. He thought of her luscious long hair of dark black and brown shades that fell in slight waves to the half of her back. He thought of her dark, mysterious, enchanting and, most especially, beautiful midnight blue eyes that were framed by thick lashes, sparkled even brighter than the most expensive sapphires and reminded him of the dark night sky above him. He thought of her lips that were so downy soft and rosy pink, feeling so irresistibly soft and silky against his own.

Many people spoke of how the beauty of the Goddess of the Hunt was the only one that was comparable to that of the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. But in Orion's eyes, Artemis' beauty prevails over all.

But it was not just her physical features that he remembered. He too remembered the curve of her beautiful smile, her laughter that sounded like the most beautiful of melodies, the way the slender fingers of her hand held her silver bow and arrow expertly, the magnificent aura that always surrounded her and the way she looked at him attentively as he talked, giving full attention to his words. In short, he remembered just about every single detail about her.

_But why?_ he wondered to himself. Why does he remember those things about her? And more importantly, what was it about her that made him remember?

He knew inside that she was different than the women he had been with in the past, and not because she was a goddess and an Olympian. He thought of Side, his wife who he did not really know and had been with for only a too short amount of time, of Merope, who he had been denied of and who he unsuccessfully attempted to ravish her, and of Eos, the Dawn Titaness who seduced him easily by using her extraordinary beauty and made him her own personal toy of pleasure, and all the other women that he had coupled only once with.

Orion realized now that he only felt lust for those women, not the beautiful emotion he felt for Artemis. For the goddess, he felt devotion, care and loyalty. He felt secure with her, and he felt happy during all those times where they hunted together or just talked. He felt thankful for her, for she allowed him to be her hunter, an important status to him, despite his shortcomings. He cherished the friendship he had with her, always awaiting eagerly for the goddess each day. He smiled when she smiled, laughed when she laughed and shared his secrets with her when she shared her secrets with him.

And it was that very moment when they kissed did Orion knew that it was true.

He had fallen in love with Artemis.

It was such a strange feeling, being truly in love. But yet, it was the most wonderful thing he had ever experienced.

Orion exhaled a blissful sigh and got up into a standing position from the sand, his eyes never tearing away from his lover's moon as he walked closer to the sea edge. When he could feel the waters washing over his bare feet, he shifted his teal green eyes to look out at the sea, which was now black as ink with the moon's reflection located somewhere in the further distance.

With one deep breath, he spoke.

"Father, I am to be married," he told the dark sea, knowing that he was indirectly talking to his unknown father. "I know that this will not be an unwise choice. Artemis has treated me more fairly and kindly than others. I've fallen in love with her as a result, and I am glad that she reciprocates my feelings. She is more precious to me than even the iron and wood club that you have gifted upon me and the fame and attention that I had received from the mortals."

As always, Orion waited for some sort of answer. He waited for the sea breeze that will billow around him, carrying words from his father. He waited for something to wash up onto shore, some sort of message or whatever.

He waited.

And it finally came. But, just not in the way he had expected.

Suddenly, the waves started moving against each other in frenzy, as though a large beast was moving right under the water level. With alertness, Orion quickly backed up onto land further, his eyes intent on the now rapidly-crashing waves upon the shore, sounding loudly throughout the quietness of the night. He did not know what to expect. Who – or what - will appear? A beast? Some sort of underwater entity? Oh, if only he had brought his weapon in case of an attack.

All of a sudden, something emerged out of the waters slowly yet magnificently. Despite the darkness of the night and the low glow of Artemis' silvery-white moon, the entity of the sea radiated a divine golden aura. The aura had been so bright that Orion had to shield his eyes for a few seconds before becoming used to the brightness. When he revealed his eyes once more to the entity, he took a closer look.

Standing right on the waters was a man who looked to be of middle age but had a tall and muscular built. He had silvery-grey hair that fell in smooth waves to his shoulders and an equally silvery-grey mustache and beard. The man was looking at him with piercing sea green eyes that could immediately mirror the green of the ocean waters.

Orion could only stare at this man in awe. He knew he was not human; what kind of human could just emerge out of the sea like magic? Only one person came to Orion's mind as to who could.

"Father?" he whispered.

At the mention of that word, the God of the Seas smiled a kind smile and walked out of the waters and onto land. His glow dimmed slightly, but still shone brightly. When he was standing right in front of the hunter, his frame being about one and a half foot taller, he said, "Orion, my son. Very nice to finally meet you face-to-face."

Orion said nothing to Poseidon in reply. He only continued to stare into his deep sea green eyes. In his heart, he could not believe that finally, after so many years, he finally met his father. Poseidon looked exactly as how he had imagined and how Artemis had described. If there was one thing left out, it was of how radiant he really was.

Poseidon's sea green eyes became disappointed all of sudden. "I have a feeling that your current state is due to seeing me for the first time after so many long years," he pointed out in a sigh. "I must apologize for not making an appearance to you earlier on in your life. I know I have no valid reason, so I hope that you do forgive me."

Orion nodded his head. "You are forgiven for that mattered no longer," he told his father in a level yet kind voice. "What matters now is that you're here, and that I can finally see with my own eyes how my father looks like and hear what he says from his own lips."

That managed to bring a smile to Poseidon's lips, which also resulted in Orion's own. The Sea God-King was happy that his son was more than merciful to forgive him for his long absence. That was trait that he liked very much about his son; his mercy.

"I have listened to you speak," Poseidon revealed with a serious voice. "I can tell from your words that you are genuinely in love with my niece."

"I am, Father," Orion confirmed firmly. "I truly have never loved a woman as much as I love Artemis."

"She had announced to the pantheon that you were worthy of her heart. That was why she had wished to marry you," Poseidon informed him with a proud smile.

"I am glad to know so," Orion replied, his smile still on his lips at the mention of Artemis.

Poseidon nodded his head approvingly and put his hands behind his back. With a chuckle, he said, "If you are worthy of the great and beautiful Artemis' love, then you must sure be worthy to become a god in your own right."

Upon hearing the last statement, Orion's smile disappeared and he frowned in confusion. "What?" he questioned. "What do you mean by that?" But as the information continued to sink into him, his eyes widened in shock and realization. "Do you mean that… I… will become a god?"

Poseidon lifted a perfect eyebrow curiously. "My son, had you not known on your own? Of course, you will become a god. It comes with being married to a goddess. It is somewhat of a basic rule. I thought you would have known that."

In truth, Orion had known that. It was simple knowledge. But becoming a god was not what immediately came to his mind when he thought of marrying Artemis. The very first thing he thought of was having her as his wife and being her husband, and maybe even start a family with her; have sons and daughters of his own.

"I see," Orion breathed. "That seems to be very important…"

Orion felt worried all of sudden. Being a god of Mount Olympus was an extremely high honor that couldn't be topped. But was he worthy of such a position? He didn't know if he was up to having such an honor. What's more, to be a god meant to have responsibilities over the mortals; Artemis had told him that before. Would he be able to perform these responsibilities well? Would he be good, average or bad at being a god?

"It is," Poseidon agreed. "But I am sure that it would be nothing that you could not handle. You already possess many skills, Orion. Skills that can be very useful with being a god. I am also very sure that Artemis would guide you in your new life as a pure divine being, by your side as your wife."

Poseidon let out a sigh that seemed connective to joy and looked up at the moon. Orion followed his gaze and too locked eyes with his fiancée's silvery-white moon. At that moment, he wondered if Artemis was looking at the moon as well.

"It is time I should go," Poseidon finally said, almost sadly as though he did not want to leave his son just yet. He had half-expected Orion to protest or at least ask why, but his son said nothing. He merely nodded his head in understanding.

Poseidon did not leave without final acknowledgement. He reached a hand out and placed it on Orion's shoulder. Orion looked at the hand for a brief second before looking back into the eyes of his godly father.

With a smile, Poseidon told him, "If you need me, just summon for me. I will be there."

Orion knew that it was true. Despite the fact that he had never met his father until now, he was very sure that his father will always be there for him. He reminded himself that Poseidon hadn't actually forgotten about him in the first place. If he had, then their nightly conversations at beaches would never have happened.

"Yes, Father. I know," Orion replied.

After one final exchange of smile between the both of them, Poseidon finally turned and walked away back to the sea. Orion watched as his father walked on the waters further out into the distance before he slowly sank into ocean, back to the kingdom he resided.

Orion remained where he was, feeling peace in his heart as the sea breeze billowed gently around him and the delicious, fresh and salty scent of the sea filled his lungs.

* * *

Author's Note:

Okay, okay. I know I had mentioned that there will be Apollo in this chapter, but I felt the need to have a chapter that focuses solely on Artemis and Orion.

So, the two lovers are both facing doubts. Artemis is saddened about not being a virgin goddess anytime soon and Orion's worried about not being capable of being a new god. But the both of them knows that there love always prevails. So sweet! ^^

Fun fact; the scene where Orion lays on the beach and thinks about Artemis was actually the very first thing I wrote for Promises. Orion had been haunting my mind ever since the ending of **_The_**_** Reincarnation**_, and that scene was the very first thing I wrote about him before I actually got into writing out the story. I wrote that certain scene four months ago, before Promises was even published.

By the way, I'm actually happy that Orion finally gets to meet Poseidon. It was a short first meeting though...

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	29. Chapter 28

**_Doubt_**

"I'm so happy, Mother. I am marrying Orion."

"I am as happy as well, my lovely silver daughter. It is good that you found someone that you may share your life with. Enjoy and cherish every moment with him."

Artemis smiled warmly at her Mother's kind words before leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek goodnight. After she had bid her mother sweet dreams and good sleep, she left the room to go to hers to sleep.

Leto watched her daughter walk away with a smile. But when the door had shut and Artemis was no longer there, her smile vanished, returning to the saddened and heavy-hearted expression that she had begun to don.

It was all so sad to see her children opposing against each other. On one hand, Artemis wanted to be with Orion because she was truly in love with him, but wanted very much for her younger twin brother to accept the fact that the hunter was to be a permanent part of her life now. On the other hand, Apollo was distraught that she had chosen to be with the hunter, so convinced that she had foolishly walked into a trap, and wanted very much for his older twin sister to abandon Orion and be by his side forever.

Leto refused to side either of them. It was not because she didn't think of it as her business (they were her children so of course it was her business) but because she did not want to seem unfair and bias to one if she chose the side of the other. She did not like to be unfair to any and both of her children.

Honestly, Leto really was happy that Artemis was marrying Orion; as happy as any other mother who was glad that their daughter will be with the right person. For the past hour, her precious daughter had confided in her the qualms she experienced about getting married and how she was worried that she would not make a good wife to Orion. Leto had reassured her that if there was intimacy, passion and commitment in the love shared between her and her husband-to-be, than their marriage was sure to be a very good one. She was glad to see that Artemis seemed to have taken the advice into heart.

But then there was Apollo to think of. She felt distraught that her youngest child was experiencing a dilemma deep within his heart. She knew deep down that Apollo truly wanted his sister to be happy. But she also knew that his jealousy of Orion was what's stopping him from letting his sister gain her own happiness in the form of another man. If only Apollo could be convinced that Orion would do Artemis no harm and that she in turn would not abandon his side as his sister, but he was too blinded by the sins of rage and envy to do so.

If only there was some way to work it all out, but Leto did not know.

Her heart became even heavier at the thought of being so helpless.

* * *

Apollo woke up for what must be the sixth time in a row.

He groaned in frustration and sat up in bed, running a hand through the unruly mess of short golden hair, making it even messier. His eyes blinked rapidly until his vision cleared, allowing him to see easily in the dark.

He thought about what an awful night he had. First, he had cried himself to sleep. He woke up soon after and got dressed properly for bed. He expected to go back to sleep soon after the first waking. But then he found himself being drifted between sleep and wake and it was only helping to add fuel to the fire of frustration that burned continuously within him.

And what's worse was that each time he woke up, he kept on recalling back to the scene where Artemis had announced to everyone that she was going to marry Orion and Zeus had given her permission to do so. He remembered how happy she looked when she received all those words of congratulations from the other Olympians. But he also remembered how that happiness immediately disappeared when she had set his sights upon him. She had approached his seat, where he was crying quietly to himself. She had spoken to him in her most gentle voice; the gentleness of her voice was always one of his favorite traits about his sister. She had told him that she loved her hunter and proclaimed that he would never hurt her. She had also told him that she would never forget him, her brother, as well, and that she should be damned to Tartarus if she did.

Apollo had not said anything because he was afraid that whatever he would say would make him regret his words; it would hurt his sister, or it would hurt him, or it would hurt the both of them. He did not wish to allow the others see his tears any longer, so he simply left the dining hall. He was sure that Artemis and the rest must have taken his sudden leave as his disapproval of the arrangement.

But not entirely true.

It was also because he did not wish to feel like a loser in front of an audience.

It was true. Apollo felt as though he had lost a game. He had lost without any more chances and Orion had won Artemis and he was going to marry her now. His plans to keep his sister by his side forever were completely futile. It was official; the hunter was to receive his share of Artemis' time and affection.

The time and affection that used to be Apollo's alone.

He couldn't stop being afraid that over time, Artemis would be so taken with her new companion that she would just forget about him.

He hated the ill-feelings that were eating away at his heart. If only they would just go away, then he could have enough strength to tolerate the giant that was now to be his sister's husband. But the sense of losing Artemis to him and having to share her left him completely bitter with seemingly no possible way to be rid of it. It was horrible.

Apollo let out a bitter growl of malice and angrily threw the dark orange sheets off his body as he got out of bed. He began to pace around his room randomly. Ever since the whole mess began, he had been doing a lot of pacing just for the sake of keeping his thoughts in track of his steps.

As he paced, he began to recall the advice of his mother and Athena. He remembered how they had disapproved of him behaving so foolishly and thoughtlessly and suggesting to him that he should just learn to accept the fact that Artemis was in love and had chosen to be with Orion. He remembered how they had assured him that his sister would never forget about him; she had never done so once before. They told him that it had been a simple mistake of her to forget about him on the day of the music festival, but it was sure not to happen again. Both Leto and Athena had even told him that Artemis loved him too much to forget about him.

Then Apollo remembered what Aphrodite had said to him; or more specifically, _screamed_. He remembered how the Goddess of Love had called him insane and demanded hotly to know why exactly he won't let his sister be with Orion.

_They just don't understand!_ he screamed to himself in his thoughts. _What is it about this giant that managed to gain her affections so quickly?! He is practically a stranger to her! Artemis was mine for my entire life and it will bloody well stay that way! That damn demigod doesn't deserve her love after so short a time!_

To make things worse, he remembered how angrily he had scolded Artemis in the dining hall. He especially remembered the feeling of the wooden hair clip breaking in his fist, thinking that it was a gift of courting or, even worse, engagement, despite her claims that it wasn't.

Apollo didn't know whether it was coincidental or purpose when, just a night later, she announced she wanted to marry Orion.

He tried his very best to fight the urge to take something and throw it to the ground to somehow soothe his anger. He had enough of physical release at this point. Taking slow and heavy deep breaths, he turned his head to look out the window.

The stars in the sky had all faded away. The color of the sky too had faded from dark midnight blue to a medium violet purple, signifying the coming of Eos as the rosy-fingered dawn. It also signified the time for the moon to sleep and the sun to wake.

"Might as well get ready," Apollo muttered under his breath, very unenthusiastically.

* * *

We did not speak and kept our distance as we performed our duties. Although I did not like it one bit, I knew that it was probably best for both of us.

When the moon had set and Apollo had raised the sun to its position, he returned to the palace while I did not. I decided to go to Crete straight away to see Orion. I wanted to spend some quality time with him at his current home before I take him with me to Mount Olympus when our wedding day had arrived, despite the fact that the day had not yet been decided and set.

The ride seemed quicker than usual, but Orion wasn't on Crete when I found him. Instead, he was sitting on the same big rock on the beach of the Islet of Leon, looking out at the sea. I felt lucky to have caught sight of him and immediately commanded my steeds to land on Leon. Orion glanced up as my chariot came down upon the beach, but turned to look away back to the sea shortly after.

Once my horses were relieved and allowed to be on their own, I made my way to the rock with my bow in hand and my quiver slung on my shoulder. Orion still did not turn to meet me. I found that absolutely abnormal of him, since he always greeted me whenever I was in the vicinity. I immediately became worried, thinking that I somehow have got something to do with it.

He finally turned when I was about to climb up the rock and extended a hand to me. "Thank you," I thanked him kindly as I gripped his hand tightly and hoisted myself up the rock, internally glad that I was wearing hunting boots this time. He said nothing in reply, but gave me a small smile.

I took my seat right beside him, leaving just a quarter of an inch of space between us. Instinctively, I gently grasped his hand in mine. He squeezed gently in response, but his eyes - looking absolutely deep in thought and concerned - remained on the sea.

The silence between us became enough for me in a few minutes. "Is something wrong?" I inquired gently.

Orion sighed softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worried," he said quietly. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" I pressed.

He finally turned his head away from the sea to lock his teal green orbs on my midnight blue.

"My father came to me yesterday," he told me solemnly.

I felt myself overcome with surprise. "He did?" I questioned surprisingly. Of course I would be surprised. To think that Poseidon had just visited me last night and even met with his son for the first time.

Orion nodded his head. "He told me that you… announced to the pantheon that you wished to marry me because you thought me worthy," he told me with a smile.

I nodded in confirmation. "I did."

"He told me some other things too."

"Like what?"

Orion let out another deep sigh and looked down at our grasping hands. He said quietly, "He told me that once I am married to you, I would become a god."

I knew of that already, though I haven't really put much thought into it. Of course he would become a god. It was a basic rule for marriage between a divine being (a full-blooded god or goddess) and a being that was either semi-divine (for example; a demigod) or non-divine (for example; a mortal). Many deities found this rule to be tedious, which was why many only took lovers.

Zeus could be a good example of this.

"That is true," I confirmed. Then, my tone became curious. "Does that bother you?"

Orion shook his head. "It doesn't bother me. I'm just a bit worried. What if I don't become a good god?"

I frowned in disapproval and replied, "Do not say what you do not know."

"But I just can't help it, Artemis" he answered almost worriedly. "You've said it yourself that being a god comes with responsibilities. What if I'm not good enough to handle these responsibilities? What if I turn out like one of those gods who only answer the evil prayers of ruthless men just for the fun of it or use my powers to only wreak havoc? I don't think I can bear such-"

I placed a finger on his lips gently, silencing him completely, and hushed him. Orion was fretting too much and I had to stop him before he fretted too much. His eyes focused on mine.

"I assure you that there is nothing to worry about, Orion," I assured him gently. "You're already a good person at heart, so I'm sure that you will be a good god as well. And if you need help, just remember that I'm always there for you."

Slowly, he started to smile. He pulled my hand away, but not before giving a kiss to my knuckles first.

"You know, that's what Father told me last night too," he revealed to me. "If you say the same thing, then it must be true."

I smiled for him and gave him a soft kiss to his lips. "It will be true, Orion. I promise."

And then, I stood up, grabbing my bow as well, and looked down at him with my hands on my hips. He looked up at me as I said, "Now, how about we go do some hunting? There shouldn't be any reason for us to stop doing what we love just because of our engagement."

Orion's smile turned eager. In a flash, he stood up and grabbed my hand.

* * *

"Stop! Stop! I already called for a time-out! Calm yourself down!"

Apollo stopped in his tracks and angrily threw the iron sword and shield in his hands to the ground before moving out of the ring of the training grounds in the garden and taking a seat on a nearby wooden bench. Ares took this as an opportunity to put down his own training weapons and go up to their only spectator.

"This is absolutely ridiculous. How long is he going to be like this?" Ares asked irately up at the trees, where Hermes was standing on a branch looking at Apollo very pensively with crossed arms.

Hermes sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, to be honest."

As he massaged away the soreness in his right bicep, Ares scoffed, "If it's still about Artemis and her demigod, then he better get over it. She's getting married and she's not going to be a virgin anymore, but she's still going to stay as his sister; end of story. I don't know why he's got to get so angry over it. It's not like he hasn't slept with anyone before."

Hermes did not answer his hot-headed half-brother, still looking on worriedly at his other brooding half-brother.

_I don't know why, but I have feeling that things are not going to turn out well…_ he thought to himself.

* * *

I've spent the entire day with Orion, but yet the hours seemed to pass so quickly. Before I knew, after all those hours of hunting and laughing and talking, evening was to approach already.

Orion and I were back in his clearing, with me seated in between his legs with my back on his chest. We fed each other cut-up pieces of fruit as we talked to each other. It felt nice to feel his warmth surrounding me; it was so comforting and it made me feel safe and protected. This must have been another sign that he was the right one for me.

I rested my head against his shoulder, turning it slightly so that my lips were just an inch away from his jawline. He brought his hand closer to my lips, holding a small of apricot in his fingers. I willingly parted my lips and took the fruit.

As I chewed and relaxed, he suddenly asked, "How do you think life would be like once we're married?"

I swallowed and lifted my head a bit to look at him in the eye. With a thoughtful smile, I replied, "Anything we wish it to be. What do you wish it to be?"

His eyes traveled heavenwards, looking very deep in thought. He twisted his lips in funny positions, causing a laugh to escape my lips. He smiled as he gazed at the laughter in my eyes.

"I want our marriage to be simple, yet blissful," Orion finally said with a smile. "We do not need much extravagance in our lives. We could be living in a run-down old hut in the middle of a deserted island and I would still be happy, because I have you at my side. We could spend our days hunting in the wildlands and take daily walks on the beaches."

I continued on for him. "We would rule the Hunt as the leading god and goddess. We would roam the wildlands as silent as a breeze and hunt like the most ferocious of predators. But when we are in the comfort of privacy," I blushed a little then, "We can… think about something other than hunting…"

Orion seemed to like that idea for his grin turned wide and mischievous. In a murmur, he asked under his breath, "Like what? Have children of our own?"

My blush turned deeper and my whole face felt like it was on fire. Again, the fact that I would not be a virgin anymore any time soon was realized, and I became hesitant once again. Orion sounded so eager to have children that it made me wonder if he would expect me to give himself up to him right on the night of our wedding.

I had been so deep in thought that I hadn't realized his lips were at my ear until he spoke softly, his warm breath washing over my skin.

"I can feel that you are hesitant," he pointed out knowingly. "I can understand that you do not wish to consummate right on the very night of our marriage. Do not fret, dearest Artemis. I will just wait until you are ready."

I felt guilty that I had to make him wait. What sort of woman made her new husband wait when they were supposed to bed each other immediately to brand themselves as belonging to one another?

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry that I have to make you wait, just because I'm so damn self-conscious." I sighed sadly. "I know I am not like the other women that used to be in your life…"

I felt Orion groan and he buried his face in my shoulder. I looked at him in surprise, wondering why he was suddenly acting like this.

"No, I'm so sorry," he told me apologetically and guiltily. "I'm so sorry that I had foolishly lost my virginity to a woman who did not deserve it as much as you do. I'm so sorry that I am too soiled for your purity. Damn myself for not waiting for you!"

I understood now why he was being like this; he was regretful that he wasn't a virgin for our wedding night. He was upset that he couldn't give himself to me as I would give mine to him. He was upset that I was not the first and the only one to have him in my bed.

Inside, I too felt slightly upset that I could not take away the virginity of the man I love when it came the time I was ready. And of course I did feel upset that he had been a philanderer before. But the big question was this; did it really matter now?

I know as well that Orion was truly regretful of all the mistakes he had done in the past. I had not sense even a hint of lying in his voice as he told me tales of his slightly-horrid past regrettably I knew that he had wished to repent himself in some way and I had a feeling that teaching him to be a good god could be that question.

What's more, despite his shortcomings and the crimes he had committed in his past, I had still fallen in love with him no matter what. He had proven to me that he was no longer that selfish and revengeful philanderer, but a kind, loving and caring person who had grown wiser. He proved to me that people could still change for the better instead of staying bitter forever. His willingness to become a better person made me fall in love with him.

I pulled myself away from him and turned around to face him. Orion quietly kept his eyes on me as I cupped his face and leaned mine closer, but he slowly slid it shut, like I did, as our lips met.

We took our time enjoying the kiss. It was soft and gentle but it still maintained passion, as like our other kisses before. I could really taste sweet fruitiness on Orion's thin but masculine lips, which had been from the pieces of fruit I had fed him. Like always, it was the most blissful and heavenly thing I have ever felt.

When we pulled away, I kept my hands cupping his face while his were on my waist. I pressed my forehead to his and felt his warm and sweet breath washing over my face. I opened my eyes the same time as he did, and midnight blue met teal green.

"It doesn't matter," I said to him in a whisper. "You're not that type of person anymore. I know that. And I trust you enough to give my heart to you, because I know you wouldn't break it by betraying me for another."

I gave him another kiss to his lips before wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in the crook of his neck. Orion pulled me closer to him, his arms tightening slightly around my waist.

He pressed small kisses to my hair before bringing his lips to my ear and whispering, "I love you, Artemis."

I smiled and replied, "I love you, Orion."

Without hesitation, we kissed each other again, our complete love for each other reveled in that moment.

* * *

When I stepped into the dining hall, I was greeted by a familiar voice calling my name.

"Artemis!" Persephone cried out happily, rising from her seat between Demeter and Athena and rushing to me. I barely had time to respond before she had thrown herself at me with her arms wrapping around my neck instantly, locking me in a tight embrace.

"Heartiest congratulations on your engagement, Artemis," Demeter told me with a big smile as she walked over to me. "It was a shock to hear from Hermes that you finally decide to marry someone, but still good news all the same."

As I finally hugged Persephone back, I replied, "Thank you so much, Aunt Demeter. I'm just glad that many are as glad for me as I am for myself."

Persephone pulled away to look me gleefully in the eye. Her amber eyes shone so brightly that I could have sworn that they twinkled like golden stars.

"Who wouldn't be?" she chirped. "The beautiful Phoebe Artemis Agrotera is finally marrying! Oh, I had a hunch that Orion must be the right man for you, and it's true!"

"So very true!" Aphrodite called out proudly from her seat at the table. I rolled my eyes at her before returning my attentions to Persephone and Demeter.

"True, indeed," I replied with a happy smile.

Persephone suddenly grasped my wrist and led me to the table. "Come! As we eat dinner, tell me all you have in mind for your upcoming wedding! Have you thought of a dress yet?"

Without any hesitation, I followed her to the dining table, bracing myself for a whole lot of questions.

* * *

Ares and Athena, who were seated just a seat apart from each other, were busy minding their own business as they waited for dinner to be served. Athena was listening to Persephone asking questions to Artemis about Orion while Ares was busy caressing Aphrodite's thigh under the table.

But their attentions were both pulled by Hermes, who had taken the empty seat in between.

They noticed the way the Messenger God's spring green eyes roamed over the table quickly. All of a sudden, the look in his eyes turned into one of realization and concern.

He murmured only three words under his breath.

"Apollo isn't here."

* * *

Author's Note:

I'm noticing a great decline of views and reviews lately... I hope people are still reading this. It's about to get to serious here! Now, I know there are still some of you who still read this story, and for that I thank you.

I am feeling kind of exhausted from writing so much Apollo angst. Seriously, this story really has a lot of angst and it's only going to get even more angsty later on! Sheesh...

I don't know why, but with each word I type, I'm starting to going to miss Orion really a lot... :'(

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	30. Chapter 29

_**In The Night**_

It was said that to threaten to inflict any harm upon the Mother Earth was the worst crime ever possible. Those who even dare to try to harm the soil that they live upon were thought of as ruthless and disgraceful and would be faced with drastic punishment by the gods or by the Great Mother herself.

Thanks to that little known fact, Apollo was able to work out his plan.

He had been silent throughout the day, not saying more than a few sentences to anyone. Even when he was sparring with Ares earlier on, he did not say much to his half-brother and just went on to training quite intensely, only trying to further distract himself in his plans. Ares himself did not say much to him, because he was sure to think of him as moody (or insane) and wanted nothing to do with his qualms.

After setting the sun, he only briefly returned to the palace to put back his golden chariot and his winged steeds before teleporting himself away to the mortal lands. He did not go for dinner, for he was afraid that the sight of his sister would only cause his anger to flare or make himself hesitant of his plan. He tried very hard to push even the slightest thought of her to the back of his mind as he made his way to where he had in mind.

Where he had in mind was actually Crete, but he was mindful to stay clear of the beaches, not wanting to catch sight of his rival for his sister's affections. Instead, he proceeded to the inner mainland, where there was usually small villages and vast amount of forest. He too stayed away from the villages, not wishing for any mortal to see him, and journeyed to one of the deepest parts of the forests.

Apollo walked out of the mass of tall trees into a relatively huge clearing. The clearing was only of one many others that belonged to his older twin sister, since it was part of the wildlands that was under her patronage. He also decided that a clearing that was not-too-near and yet not-too-far from the beach was the perfect and easiest place to execute the first step of his plan. What's more, the clearing was barricaded from the nearby villages by masses of trees that surrounded it and was very deep within the wildlands, thus allowing him plenty of privacy.

He threaded slowly and quietly to the center point of the big clearing. His entire form was bathed in the enchanting pale and silvery light of the moon which only helped to heighten his etherealness. The chilling night air billowed softly around him, ruffling his golden hair slightly. The golden bow in his right hand and the golden arrows in the leather quiver that was slung on his right shoulder radiated a mystical golden glow beautifully in the moonlight, mingling with its new silvery shine.

When Apollo had come to the center point, he shrugged off the strap of his quiver and put it on the ground with his bow before kneeling on one knee and planting both his hands flat on the soft, green grass.

But for a short moment, he hesitated and a barrage of questions flooded his mind. Was what he was planning to do worth it? What if his plan backfired and everything would turn out worse than he expected? Would he be able to face the consequences of his actions? Would he be able to be ready for however his sister would react?

And in an instant, he thought to himself determinedly, _This is to show her that I am not someone to be trifled with._

With one deep breath, he started with the first step of his plan.

* * *

I was sitting at my vanity table, gently brushing my long and wavy bistre hair as I gazed at my own reflection. The longer I gazed into the midnight blue of my eyes, I felt myself going into a trance of deep thought.

All of a sudden, my mind kind of fogged up and the only thought that was clear was that of Orion. I unconsciously smiled to myself as I admire his face in my thoughts. It was a good thing that I was able to memorize his perfect facial features, which were perfectly chiseled and angular and just so handsome.

"It is so very funny," I murmured to myself, watching my reflection's lips mimicking mine. "It was all so different a few months ago. You would have avoided men like a prey avoids its predator. You would have laughed at the thought of marrying. You would have proclaimed that you would never give up your virginity for anyone."

I stopped brushing the left side of hair, which was now smooth and untangled from the brushing, and moved to the right side. I continued to stare in my reflection's eyes, dark midnight blue as it always were.

"What made you change that?' I continued to question myself quietly. "What made you decide to choose to do what you never thought you would do? Has it got something to do with Orion?"

I know I have asked myself this question many times. I even lost track of exactly how many times. And as many times as I try to give myself an answer, the question kept on coming back for me to ponder on.

"One thing is for sure, and is that you love him. He is a giant. You were afraid and repulsed by giants. But he proved to be an exception. He was a philanderer, and you hate those who only think of women as items of pleasure. But you know that he has changed and he would never take you for granted."

Of course that was true.

When my hair has been fully brushed and felt soft, smooth, light and bouncy, I set down the hairbrush and got up from my seat, extinguishing the ball of flames that floated above with a snap of my fingers and moving into my dark bedroom.

I made my way to sit on my window sill, feeling the need to gaze at the night sky for a bit. When I had gained a comfortable position, sitting cross-legged, I set my eyes upon the night that Nyx had covered the skies with, the stars that twinkled and shone beautifully and magnificently and the pure silvery-white moon that I had brought forth.

I sighed in relaxation, admiring the beauty of it all. But no sooner than a few seconds later, my mind went back to the real question and delved into thoughts once again.

I thought of Orion once again and I recalled the night where he had professed his love for me. I remembered the night of that moment to be as beautiful as the one right now. It was exactly like it; the infinite stars shone decoratively in the very dark blue backdrop of the sky and the moon glowed luminously. It was quiet, beautiful, serene and enchanting.

Wordlessly, I brought a hand up to tuck locks of my blackish-brown hair behind my ears and framed some around my face until I felt satisfied. But then, slowly, my hand slid down my neck and went under underneath the lapels of my silk dressing gown. I was wearing nothing underneath, so I felt the warmth of my smooth skin as my hand trailed slowly further to stop right atop my left breast, where my immortal heart laid beating underneath.

I stayed still, keeping my gaze on the vast night sky.

Instantly, I could feel the muted thudding of my heart. I thought of Orion then, and the thudding slowly became quicker and stronger. I could feel golden ichor pulsing through my blood quickly, right from head to toe. My body became hot, my face became flushed and my breathing became heavy as I scandalously imagined that it was Orion's lean, masculine and slightly calloused hand on my breast.

I know it was quite wrong of me to imagine such a thing, but to me it didn't matter. He was to be my husband in the near future. He was going to share my bed and I was going to bear his children someday. Besides, the thought of him touching me honestly felt… good.

I suddenly noticed my heartbeat getting faster and faster as I continued thinking of my beloved. I smiled to myself in response.

"Your heart only beats for Orion, Artemis," I said to myself knowingly.

* * *

"Great Gaia! Heavenly Mother of All! I call upon you for I hold news of an individual who wishes to threaten you!" Apollo called out to the air, knowing very well that Gaia could hear him.

There was no voice, but there was a response nonetheless. The winds around him started becoming frantic all of sudden. The many leaves on the branches of the barricade of trees rustled noisily, breaking the utter silence of the forest in the night. It was so absolutely sudden; just a few seconds prior, the wind was calm and gentle.

Apollo listened to the rustling leaves for a short second before continuing on. "It is true, Great Mother! His name is Orion. He is the illegitimate demigod son of Poseidon. He is known throughout the mortal lands as a great hunter and is admired and praised by many!"

The winds continued to blow heavily around him, as though telling him to continue.

"But so caught up with the fame he is receiving that he has proclaimed to perform a despicable deed!" Apollo exclaimed.

Mingling with the heavy wind and the rustling of leaves was a new response; the crying of birds and animals that were around the vicinity. To a mortal, it must have sound like the usual noises that these said creatures naturally make. But to Apollo, the noises sounded as though it were cries of outrage.

Apollo took a big gulp of air before continuing. "I myself am shocked and outrage that a being that is only a mere half-blood can dare to act as though he has the power of a god by actually declaring that to prove himself as a great hunter, he will hunt down every single living animal that roams the wildlands!"

The cries of the animals got louder, taking a new tone of fright and terror. The rustling of the leaves became noisier that the very sound of it was nearly unnatural. The wind became so heavy and fast that Apollo was sure that if he relaxed his stance even a slightest bit, he was sure to lose his balance and be blown away.

But all of a sudden, just as he was trying hard to keep his hands and knee on the ground, he heard a voice. The voice was that of a woman's and sounded so beautiful and majestic. Surely it cannot belong to a mere mortal woman, as mortal women do not have voices that can sound as beautiful as that of a female divine being. What's more, the voice didn't seem to come from one direction; it seemed to be coming from all directions, as though it were all around the vicinity.

But one thing was for certain, the speaker was absolutely fuming with anger.

"_This Orion dares to declare that he would kill the creatures who inhabit my lands?! His punishment shall be most severe! One does not simply escape the wrath of Gaia!_"

So that was the voice of the Great Mother. Indeed, the sound of her voice sounded mystical and enchanting; one of the most perfect descriptions for the heavenly creator. But despite the beauty of her voice, the rage in her tone was so frightening that even Apollo himself felt a shiver run down his spine.

But all of a sudden, the wind seemed to soften slightly, as did the noisy rustling of leaves. The cries of the animals lowered down some; Apollo could still hear it, but it was soft enough for him to hear Gaia's next words clearly.

"_What of your sister; Artemis Agrotera? Does she not rage at the insolence of this demigod? Daringly, he wishes to hurt the animals of my lands, and those said animals are yet under her care for she is also Goddess of the Wild,_" Gaia pointed out. But then, her tone became curious. "_Why is it that it is you, Phoebus Apollo, who have come to inform me of this when your sister herself should have taken action?_"

Despite the fact that Gaia was nowhere to be seen and was only present in sound and not sight, Apollo kept a straight face, but his heart started beating rapidly. He had not expected this question to be asked. What would he say? He did not want his sister to be involved too much in his plan, for it would make the situation more complicated and it might get out of hand more quickly. What's more, he wanted his plan to involve around Orion only, as Artemis would surely try to intervene if she knew beforehand.

So, desperately, Apollo tried to come up with an answer as fast as he can.

* * *

The spotted, white-tailed deer was fast, but Orion was sure that he had a chance to catch up with it.

As the creature jumped over protruding undergrowth and ducked the hanging branches of trees, its cloven hooves stamping erratically and furiously on the forest ground as it ran, Orion followed closely behind, the quiver of his arrows slung on his left shoulder, his wooden bow gripped tightly in his right hand and his club hanging from his belt and bouncing against his thigh.

He could feel the hammering of his own heart with each urgent breath he took. His feet were mechanically moving at top speed on its own; with each step he took getting him closer to the fleeing deer. His footsteps, his hectic breathing, the chirping of crickets, the cries of cicadas and the hooting of owls, were the only things his ears could hear.

All of a sudden, the deer disappeared to the right. Orion followed the way and found himself right on the beach.

The deer was right in front of him with its back facing him. Its head was tilted up to look at the moon. But when it heard Orion right behind, he took off running again.

But Orion did not follow. Instead, now it was his turn to gaze at the moon.

Once again, the moon radiated a soft and alluring silvery-white aura that always managed to illuminate everything in the darkness of night. All around Artemis' celestial orb, at various points of the midnight blue backdrop of the sky, lay twinkling stars that seemed like floating diamonds to Orion.

Like Artemis' moon, stars always seemed to enchant him. They looked so near that one could almost touch it, but yet they are so far within the further regions of the universe in reality. There were bound to be more than several million of them decorating the dark night sky, with each one having a different amount of shine; the most shiniest ones were always seen closer to the celestial orb of the night.

To be honest, Orion had always loved the night better than the day. Sure, the day was wonderful for mortals are awake and doing what they have to do – adults and seniors would be working or relaxing with their families while the children play, go to school or help their parents with their work – and the sun would be shining brightly and giving them light and warmth.

But the night was mesmerizing It was quiet and serene and enchanting. Everything was asleep and only those who would still be awake could have the peace to admire the beauty it offered. What would look mundane in the glorious golden light of the sun could look magical in the mysterious silver light of moon. Another reason was because the stars – which Orion would affectionately refer to as 'diamonds of the night' – would be out to grace the night sky with the moon in ethereal and enchanting beauty and leaving many to wonder what mysteries the night would hold.

Artemis was a new reason to why he loved the night, and she might be the best reason.

Like the night, Artemis was beautiful, alluring, enchanting and mysterious. She was a perfect Goddess of the Moon, making her a partial night deity. When he looked into her brilliant midnight blue eyes, it was already as though he could see the night sky right before his very eyes.

How many times has Orion pondered about such a thought of Artemis? He already knew that he truly loved her and he already knew that they were meant to be. So why keep on wondering to himself on such a thing?

"It's because the thought of loving her would never leave you, that's why," he murmured to himself with a knowing smile.

While he had been gazing at the night sky and the moon and the stars, his breathing had calmed down to a normal pace. But just as the very thought of Artemis, his heartbeat increased noticeably. He could feel the muted thudding from deep within his chest.

He put his weapons down on the white, powdery sand below him. When he had nothing else on him except his clothes, he, for some reason, began to unlace his tunic and slid his hand underneath the cotton until it rested atop where his heart would be. Through the skin and hard muscle, he could clearly feel the soft pounding of his heart. With the thought of Artemis in his mind, the pounding started to increase in speed.

Orion smiled at the feel of his beating heart.

"Your heart only beats for Artemis, Orion," he whispered to himself.

* * *

Not wanting to waste time so as to not arouse Gaia's suspicion, Apollo finally and impulsively gave an answer.

"Oh, Great Gaia. It pains me to inform you that my sister has been seduced by the ruthless Orion," Apollo lied in a level and serious voice. "He had swayed her with sweet words and gestures and she had unwittingly fallen for his trap! With Artemis tricked into infatuation, she has forgotten about her duties to the wild creatures!"

In an instant, Gaia replied in shock and outrage, "_What? Seduced! How dare he seduce a chaste goddess and a major Olympian! How dare he manipulate a divine being by using seduction! Indeed, he shall pay for his crimes against both me and Artemis Agrotera!_"

Apollo wondered for a split second why Gaia had been so upset about Artemis. She sounded as though she was so genuinely angry that Orion 'tricked' his sister, almost as though she was protective of her. But he did not ponder on that thought for long because she spoke once again.

"_I trust that you shall help me carry out his punishment, Phoebus Apollo,_" Gaia told him, her mystical voice full of authority. But then, she added coldly, "_Despite your actions of the past that still repulses me so._"

Apollo gulped at the mention of _that_. Even until now, after several hundred years, Gaia seemed to have not forgiven him for the murder of Python. But he didn't say anything about it and nodded his head.

"Of course, Great Mother Gaia. Have trust that I will ensure that Orion will be dealt with."

Gaia's voice did not respond and the sounds of the wind, the leaves and the animals quieten down until the night air was once again still and silent. Apollo looked all around, wondering why she was silent all of a sudden. Was her presence no longer there?

But suddenly, something strange appeared before his very eyes.

By what he could make it in the pale light of the moon, dark vine-like undergrowth started appearing out the grass like wriggling green snakes. The movement of the undergrowth looked so disturbing that Apollo could feel his skin being covered in goose flesh. He stayed silent and watched as it curled out heavenwards and then started mingling and coiling around each other. Very soon, it started to take a sharp of what looked like a large cocoon.

Slowly, he took out an arrow from his quiver and picked up his bow. Building up his courage, Apollo got out from his kneeling position, readied his weapons in case of attack and rose to his full height slowly. With careful steps, he approached the earthy cocoon. With each step he took, he could see that the cocoon was indeed made up of vine-like growth and growth that must be roots that were caked with dry earth.

And was it him, or did the cocoon looked as though it was _breathing_?

Apollo's sky blue eyes were still studying the cocoon when Gaia's enchanting voice spoke once again. He jumped and looked around everywhere as she spoke.

"_Send this mighty beast to be Orion's prosecutor. Make sure that it does its job thoroughly,_" she instructed in a firm and hard-edged voice.

And when her voice had stopped talking, the cocoon immediately cracked and broke about quite explosively.

Apollo shielded his face with his left arm, the arrow still gripped tight in his hand. He could feel bits of the undergrowth hitting various parts of his body. He was sure that some of the dirt must be staining his clothes now, but that was the least of his concerns now. Right now, his concern was what was inside the cocoon.

Slowly, he pulled his arm away from his face. But at that very second, his eyes laid upon the beast that dwelt within the cocoon.

His eyes widened in shock and awe, but his lips curled into a manipulative smile.

* * *

Leto sat by the window as she did her needlework with a small ball of burning white flames floating right over her head, giving her some light. While her fingers worked, her eyes gazed out the window and at the dark and beautiful starry night sky.

Usually, she would feel calm and at peace as she gazed at the beauty of the night. Looking at the stars or watching comets fly in the distance always soothed her, especially when she felt bothered.

She was trying to find peace right now by looking at the night once again, but this time, she could not find it.

Because for some reason, she had a bothersome and nagging feeling that something will happen. She did not know what that 'something' was, but she knew that it would not be good.

* * *

_**The next morning**_

Once again, we kept our distances from each other. But I couldn't help but sneak glances at him as we flew in our chariots. His eyes looked focused and concentrative, but at the same time it looked as though he was there in body but not in soul.

I have never seen Apollo in such a state before. It made me both curious and frightened to know what was going on. My sisterly instincts kicked in then and I suddenly had the urge to go up to him and ask if something was bothering him, but I had to remind myself to maintain a chaste distance because I felt that it still wasn't wise to be near him just yet.

When my duties were complete, I willed myself to pay no more heed to Apollo and straightaway flew for Crete.

* * *

When Orion woke up, he immediately realized that he had fallen asleep on the beach.

Judging by the color of the sky, he could tell that it must be somewhere around early morning. The sky was still paler than its usual bright blue and the warmth of the sun was still somewhat soft. As he slowly came to a full wake, he could hear the crashing of the seas close in front of him, signifying that it must be high tide.

Orion sat up slowly and stretched languidly. He could immediately inhale the fresh salty scent of the sea, which made him sigh contently, and feel some sand in his hair, which irritated him slightly.

He ran a hand through his messy head of short bronze locks, feeling the grains of sand falling from it and bouncing down the nape of his neck. He did not enjoy the feel of having sand in his hair and decided that it was time to go back to his clearing and bathe himself in a nearby pool of water.

Orion gathered up his weapons and walked back into the forest. As he walked slowly, he could feel his stomach growling. He recalled then that he didn't actually caught that small spotted white-tailed deer from last night and groaned in frustration to himself. He needed sustenance as quickly as possible, but he didn't have the energy to hunt as of yet.

When he finally walked into the cluster of trees that surrounded his clearing, he was relieved when he saw the fruit trees. He approached a plum tree and plucked one of its fruits. It was of a dark purple color, indicating its perfect state of ripeness. Orion took a bite of it and savored in the delicious juicy flavor of the plum.

He continued his walk back to his clearing, eating up more of the round and juicy plum as he went. Finally, he walked out of the trees….

And froze in complete shock.

The half-eaten plum fell forgotten from his hand.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you for the boost of views and reviews, guys! Maybe all of you could do it again? :)

And to those who had read my Artemis first fanfiction or have been a devoted Artemis reader of mine for a long time, you would know why Gaia was so protective of Artemis and also know about her powers with vines (Yes, **_Shadow_ _Huntress_**. I'm looking at you.) To those who didn't, I'll help you out. In my first Artemis fanfiction (**_Who I Am: A Tale of_ _Artemis_**), Gaia acted as a second mother to Artemis and she has the ability to conjure up vines to make things appear. And... I'm not going to say the rest.

And great Olympus! Apollo has finally lost it and has come up with an evil plan! But what was that creature in the cocoon? (You guys should know this!)

And most importantly, what has happened to Orion?!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	31. Chapter 30

_**Dangerous Encounters**_

High above in the skies, mounted upon his brilliant golden chariot that was pulled by two winged steeds carrying golden armor, Apollo watched Orion as intently as a predator watched its prey.

* * *

The clearing was absolutely destroyed.

Where the waterfall and the small plunge pool below used to be was now nothing but rubble of rocks and dirt, with only small trickles and jets of water spurting through the tiny gaps between the rocks and dirt. The ground of soft green grass was no more; now it was just messy patches of trampled green growth and even more dirt. Some of the trees around the clearing had been broken down; they had once stood tall but now were nothing.

Orion could not believe what he was seeing; it could be seen in the way his teal green eyes were wide with shock and his lips were slightly parted in disbelief.

Who in damnation could have done this? Who in eternal damnation could destroy the clearing he had come to call home? Orion did not know if it was some sort of accident or if it was done on purpose, but whoever had done it had made a thorough job. He realized then that if he hadn't fallen asleep on the beach last night, he could have been destroyed along with it.

Orion walked slowly around the ruined mess, stooping down to pick up dirty pebbles and run his hand through dirt as he did. He felt tears burning the back of his eyes at the thought that he had lost his home. Where was he to go now? Where was he to sleep and rest and feel at home?

Tears were about to stream down from his eyes when he felt the ground shake slightly. He froze once again, waiting in anticipation. He felt the ground shake again and he quickly rose to his full height and turned all around, trying to determine where the direction of what caused those tremors was coming from.

As the seconds passed, the tremors kept becoming stronger and stronger and Orion could almost feel the stomping of the creature that was causing it. As he readied his bow and an arrow, he began to wonder what he was about to face. It sounded so huge and could most probably be dangerous.

_Maybe a giant? _he thought to himself as he kept his eyes focused on the trees. _Or maybe a big beast?_

The ground now shook so badly that Orion could feel himself shaking. But he kept his footing firm and stayed in a defensive stance; one of the many things that Artemis had taught him when he was still referred to as her 'student'. He pulled back the bowstring, the nock of the arrow grasped firmly between his fingers. He aimed it in the direction of the incoming danger, ready to shoot if it called for it.

All of a sudden, the trees in that direction apart easily and Orion had to shield himself from being hit in the face by the sharp broken pieces of wood. There was dust everywhere and it clouded his vision, giving him a disadvantage.

Instinctively, he backed up a few steps and readied his bow and arrow once again, preparing himself for attack. He kept still, not wanting to trigger some sort of alert in the danger. He could feel his heart racing furiously in his chest and beads of anxious sweat spotting his forehead.

When the dust finally cleared, Orion could finally see what the danger looked like. But when he did, he could feel his heart stop.

Right before his very eyes was a giant scorpion.

It was _extremely _bigger than the size of a real scorpion. It was taller than Orion by many feet with its abdomen reaching the most highest branches of the trees around him. It was reddish-black in color with two huge black beady eyes on the top of its head and about four pairs of black beady eyes along the front corners of its head, thus accumulating to ten eyes in total.

But what Orion couldn't keep his eyes off on the monster scorpion were its pair of huge and dangerous pincers and its deadly stinger at the tip of its raised, sectioned tail.

Despite his past years of hunting terrifying beasts for Oenopion, he had never come across a giant scorpion. He did not know what to expect.

Suddenly, the scorpion began to advance forward and Orion immediately let go of his hold on the nock of the arrow and the bowstring, letting the arrow fly at top speed at the beast. The sharp pile of the arrow only managed to hit the space between the scorpion's eyes and though it caused it some hurt, it did not much effective damage.

Orion cursed at missing and quickly got out another arrow to load the bow again. But suddenly, the scorpion swiped one of its pincers at him. Luckily, he managed to perform a dive roll to get out of harm's way, but the arrow in his hand broke and some of the arrows in his quiver fell out in the process. He also attained a scratch on his forearm from a sharp jagged piece of rock on the ground and he hissed in pain.

But nonetheless, he got back on his feet instantly and pulled out one of the arrows that were left in the quiver. He could feel that there weren't many left and his heart stammered in worry.

_You only get a few chances…_ Orion told himself mentally as he set the arrow in the bow and pulled back the bowstring. He backed up a few steps to get a safe distance between him and the beast while maintaining target on one of the scorpion's many beady eyes.

The creature turned to fully face him and Orion finally managed to attain a perfect target on one of the smaller eyes. He wasted no time and released his hold on the bowstring. The arrow pierced through the air sharply and finally the sharp point burrowed itself into the eye.

The scorpion let out a loud and piercing screech of pain that sounded so horrible and monstrous that Orion's heart pounded faster at the sound of it. The beast shook vigorously in pain and agony as it continued screeching. Orion could hear sounds of animals scurrying off and birds flying away in panic, wondering what the terrible and scary sound was.

In just a split second, the scorpion stopped thrashing around and faced him once again. Orion's eyes widened in fear when it saw all of its remaining eyes taking on a bright fiery red color to indicate its burning fury. The creature snarled and advanced towards him quickly. He was about to grab another one of his remaining arrows when the beast swiped at him again, this time successful.

Orion fell to the dirty ground on his side with a grunt. He could feel pain shooting through his body for a short two seconds before he finally managed to get back up on his feet. But to his horror, he realized that he no longer had his bow and the quiver slung on his shoulder was missing as well. As he looked back at the scorpion, he realized then that both the bow and the quiver with remaining arrows were trampled underneath the beast's legs.

He felt his heart crack at the sight of the now-destroyed bow. Among the wooden fragments, he caught sight of the part of the bow that Artemis had magically engraved his name onto. He wanted to cry in sorrow that the first gift his future bride had given him was now completely destroyed, rendering him unable to cherish it any longer.

Orion reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the destroyed bow when the scorpion let out a roar. He backed up even more until his back touched the trunk of tree. All of a sudden, he recalled his one last weapon; his club! How could he have forgotten about it?

Quickly, he gripped his club firmly in his hand and, with one deep breath and a sudden flame of determination, he charged towards the scorpion.

It tried to grab with its pincers, but he managed to dodge it and jump onto its body. The scorpion started screeching in panic and tried to shake him off, but Orion managed to keep his footing and immediately jabbed his club into another of one of the two bigger red eyes. The howl of pain that the scorpion sounded was terrifying, but he did not back down. He wanted it to pay for destroying his bow.

Unfortunately, so caught up was he to hurt the creature by jabbing its eyes that he had almost forgotten about its' other weapon.

Orion had just been a few inches short from getting stabbed by the scorpion's deadly poisonous stinger.

He let out a yell of panic, but was cut short when the scorpion suddenly threw him off its back. He landed on his front onto the ground and let out a cry of pain when he felt sharp rocks piercing his skin through the cotton of his tunic. He could immediately feel warm blood pooling in the new open wounds and trickling down his chest, with some drops falling onto the ground.

Even though his conscience was screaming at him to get back up immediately, he stayed on the ground for a few more seconds because the pain was unbearable at that moment. But he managed to muster enough strength to turn himself over so that the ground would no longer irritate his wounded chest.

His back pressed onto the ground and he took a deep breath. Slowly, he opened his eyes…

And immediately rolled away to safety just in time for the stinger to come in contact with the ground where he was previously at.

Orion cursed under his breath by how he had been so near death once again. Out of the corner of his left eye, he saw his club right underneath the scorpion. He knew that he needed to get it back because that was the only thing right now that could help him against the beast. What's more, he did not think that he could bear to lose another precious gift.

He got to his feet slowly, but did not stand. Instead, he crouched, breathing deeply as he awaited the right moment to execute his plan of action. He kept his concentrative teal green eyes on the scorpion, staring at it with complete focus.

Finally, when the scorpion had pulled its stinger out of the ground and turned to face him, he saw his chance and quickly launched himself into running. He was too fast for the scorpion to register that he was running towards it. When it was just about to take action, Orion skidded on the ground and right underneath the beast. He managed to grab his club before skidding out from underneath.

When the scorpion turned to face him again, it already saw Orion running off into the forest. With a loud and determined roar, it followed him.

* * *

Apollo watched the battle intensely, but was angered that Orion had managed to face Scorpius in battle. He growled in frustration when he saw the demigod escaping into the forest, with the monstrous Scorpius right on its tail.

"That damn monster had better get it done soon," he said angrily to himself, pulling on his reins so that his steeds would move.

But just as his chariot flew off in the direction of Orion and Scorpis, Apollo caught sight of a figure with a head of long dark hair moving towards the destroyed clearing.

He did not dare to turn around.

* * *

Strangely, the forest was very quiet today; as though there wasn't even a soul around. Usually, at this early time of day, everything would be active since the animals have just woken up. I wondered why today was an exception.

While I pondered on this, I made my way to Orion's clearing. He wasn't on the beach and he wasn't on Leon, so the only place where he could be would be the clearing. I expertly made my way into the cluster of trees and walked deeper into it.

Like I had noticed, the trees around me were all very quiet. Even the chirping of the birds seemed soft. Curious, I beckoned one to perch onto my index finger. Only one did, and I couldn't help but notice that it was shaking, as though it had just received the fright of its life.

As I gently petted it and continued my way to the clearing, I asked quietly, "What is wrong, little one?"

It let out a small chirp that sounded akin to a call of distress.

And that's when I noticed that I was already at the fruit trees, but I could hear no sound of the waterfall, which would have been the first thing I would hear at this point.

I was instantly alarm. The bird sensed it and flew off, just in time for me to start running in the direction of the clearing. When I saw the opening, I picked up my speed and ran through.

Imagine how horrified I was when I saw that the clearing was absolutely destroyed.

I couldn't believe it! How could it have been like this?! Even the waterfall was destroyed! Whoever did it; how could they have done this?! Wasn't Orion there to stop them?!

Suddenly, the pacing of my heart quickened at the thought of him.

"Orion?!" I shouted out his name, but there was no answer. "Orion?!"

I started panicking and ran all around the clearing calling out his name. But with each cry and shout, there was still no answer. My heart became filled with dread and worry at the thought of something bad happening to him. And I began to curse myself for not being there for him when he needed me, like I had promised him.

"ORION!"

My breathing became frantic as I turned aimlessly like some sort of lost animal. I didn't know where to go or what to do. But what I do know was that I had to find Orion as quickly as possible.

Forcing myself to be calm, I shut my eyes and tried to find his aura. I turned slowly, trying to see in which direction was his aura the strongest. If I could find it and put all my concentration on it, it would give me a better chance to locate him quickly. And if luck was on my side, he would be alright once I found him.

Finally, I could detect a strong trail of his aura and I opened my eyes to meet a big gap in between the trees, which was caused from breaking down all the trees in that direction. Whoever – or whatever – had done it must be huge and deadly, and Orion could have been running after it or running for his life.

As quick as lightning, I ran in that direction, hoping with all my heart that I wasn't too late.

* * *

Orion felt exhausted and completely worn out, but he dared not stop. He pushed himself to the limit, forcing himself to keep going.

He attained many scratches from the pointed edges of the branches he brushed past, some serious enough to bleed, but he did not care while he was running from the ever advancing scorpion that was still hot on his trail. Each time he turned around, it always looked as though the monster was no more than a few inches away from him.

Its pincers and its stingers were the biggest problems because it could reach him with those weapons. Orion had to keep on picking up speed or dodging to avoid getting hit.

"Come on!" he shouted to himself. "Come on!"

Orion heard the creature let out another ear-piercing screech and his heart stammered faster. He saw his vision blurring slowly and knew that sooner or later, he was sure to pass out from exhaustion. But he could not allow that to happen; he could not allow the monster scorpion the chance to get him.

He also did not wish to die for dying right now would mean that he would never marry Artemis.

He could feel his legs getting weaker and his breath getting even more frantic. His heart was screaming for rest from the over-exertion but his mind was telling him to not stop if he wanted to remain alive. He himself did not know what to do except continue running and praying that he would find a safe place to hide.

All of a sudden, he ran out of the dimness of the trees and into bright sunlight. He winced and shut his eyes at the sudden exposure to bright sunlight but did not stop running. It was then he felt his hunting boots getting wet and his eyes flew open in realization that he was running into the sea.

Orion looked behind and saw that the scorpion had stopped at the water's edge and was screeching. He continued running into the water, which was now reaching his waist, but he did not take his eyes off the scorpion. Why wasn't it following him, and why was it screeching in what he felt must be frustration?

It was then he realized that the scorpion was not following him because it could not swim. He laughed to himself at the thought and felt relieved that finally he was safe. But his mind did not tell him to stop getting further away from the beast and he obeyed willing. He continued to swim into the sea until the water was up to his neck and he could no longer feel the ocean floor under the soles of his boots.

Orion swam to the point where he was afloat in the middle of the sea. He wanted to try to stand on the water, but found that he was too exhausted to do so. Wanting rest now, he allowed himself to relax and let the water float him.

But at that moment, he heard a familiar voice.

"_My son! I sense distress in you! What is wrong?_" his father's majestic voice, laced with worry and concern, sounded throughout the waters.

With what little energy he could muster, Orion replied breathlessly, "I had been attacked, Father… By a monster scorpion… It had chased me all the way to the beach… But it did not follow me into the ocean…"

Poseidon did not respond immediately and all Orion could hear was the faint sound of waves crashing upon the beach and his deep breathing. From the corner of his eye, he saw that the creature was slowly retreating back into the forest and he smiled slowly in utter relief.

Poseidon spoke up then. "_Stay in the sea, Orion. It shall provide you safety. Do not get out as of yet._"

"Yes, Father," Orion replied, still breathlessly.

* * *

Apollo gritted his teeth and his hands clenched into hard fists around the golden reins. He was absolutely seething in fury. The damn stupid creature did not complete its task and could still walk away!

"**DAMN IT!**" he shouted in rage. Now his plan was completely ruined! What's more, how was he going to report to Gaia about this? He was sure that the Heavenly Mother would want Orion to be confirmed dead, still unknowing that his supposed 'crime' was actually false accusation.

Just as he contemplated his thoughts on what to do next, he caught sight of a familiar moonstone chariot that was controlled by a feminine figure with long dark hair. The chariot had flown far away from where Orion was, meaning that the charioteer surely had not gotten sight of him.

Apollo smiled menacingly to himself when a new plan hatched in his mind.

* * *

The trail ended at the beach, and just up north was the Islet of Leon. I could only assume – and hope – that Orion was there. Without a moment to waste, I quickly got my chariot ready and flew to Leon.

Once my horses and chariot had landed on the sandy beach, I got off quickly and continued my search for him, bow in hand and quiver of arrows slung on my shoulder. My worry had not yet ceased even a tiny bit, my concern for Orion's safety and well-being grew tenfold.

I searched the forests first, but he was not there. I climbed the tree branches and looked out from above, but I could not find him. I scoured the beaches, thinking that he must be somewhere near the sea. But yet again, I could find no trace of his presence.

I finally chanced upon the rock at the sea edge and climbed over it. As I stood on top of it and continued keeping my eyes open, I began to recall the two times we spent here on the rock; the first time being the day of the picnic and when Orion was nearly about to kiss me, the second time being yesterday, when he had confided in me his uncertainty of being a god once he was married to me.

I was so engrossed with both looking out for him and recalling those moments that I was surprised when a voice spoke up from behind me.

"Hello, Artemis."

I froze and my heart pace slowed down at the sound of Apollo's familiar silky voice. I wondered to myself what was he doing here; both meaning him being on Leon and him being near me, since I was sure that he was still giving me the cold shoulder and distancing himself from me.

But even though I was feeling hesitant and confused, I took a silent deep breath and turned around to meet him face-to-face. It was then I realized that he was armed like me; his mighty golden bow gripped firmly in his right hand and his quiver of shining golden arrows slung on his left shoulder. He was looking at me with a nonchalant expression, but his eyes were like they were in the morning; focused and calculative, but yet somewhat blank.

"Hello, Apollo," I greeted him in a level voice. "What brings you here?" I asked.

Glancing down at his golden bow, he replied, "I was sent here on a mission by Zeus."

My curiosity got the better of me then. "What mission?" I inquired, my eyebrows pulled into a curious frown.

Apollo did not reply to my question. He lifted his hand up and pointed in a direction out at the sea, asking me, "Do you see that figure over there?"

I turned my head in the direction and indeed saw a dark figure in the ocean. From what I could tell, it looked like someone swimming in the waters.

"Yes," I answered. "What about it?"

Apollo brought his hand down to his side and answered, "That is a man named Candaeon and he had just committed a vulgar crime by attacking a maiden forest priestess."

"**WHAT?!**" I exclaimed in shock and outrage at hearing that piece of information.

My brother only nodded his head in response. "Why was I not informed of this?!" I demanded to know. I was furious because all maidens are under my care, and if such a thing were to happen to them, it had to be reported to me immediately so that I would be able to take action.

Apollo sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "We wanted to inform you, but we decided that we shouldn't since you are now to be a married woman, and married women cannot be put up for such a task but instead must be prepared to make themselves proper for their new husbands. What's more, he had decided that my archery skills are much needed for the job, seeing as how mine is _much_ better than yours."

My anger flared even more by how my younger brother was being such a pompous ass. Yes, I know that Apollo was the god of a great many things, but I did not need it to be rubbed into my face. Besides, I knew very well that my archery skills were better than his and I do not like anyone to proclaim that they are better than me in that field.

"Don't you even dare go there, Phoebus Apollo," I seethed through clenched teeth. "Just because I am engaged does not mean that I am restricted from performing such a task. And let me tell you that I would be far better at completing this mission than you. You may be the God of Archery, but my skills on the bow and arrow surpass that of even your own!"

Apollo did not seem too affected by how I was seething in his face and only looked at me with a challenging raised eyebrow, which only helped to fuel my anger even more. The breaking point finally came when he simply said, "Prove it."

Without a moment's hesitation and still burning with rage, I quickly pulled out one of my silver arrows from my quiver and readied it onto the bow. I pulled the bowstring back expertly and focused a perfect aim on the dark figure in the ocean that belonged to the villain who dared to hurt a maiden.

And when everything was clear and set, I let go of the string and let the arrow fly at top speed.

I looked back at my brother to sneer at him, but I stopped when I heard a loud cry of agony coming from the oceans, in the direction where I had shot the arrow.

A familiar cry.

I felt my heart skip a beat.

* * *

Author's Note:

Oh Gods... Oh Gods above...

I know! I know! It's a cliffhanger! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! But I really needed to build up emotion for the next chapter! Please do not kill me!

Oh dear Gods I'm about to cry... (T-T)

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	32. Chapter 31

_**Painful Parting**_

Poseidon suddenly yelled out, scaring both Amphitrite, who was seated on her smaller throne beside him, and the servants who were passing by. Amphitrite – who was in her true Nereid form with sea green-ocean blue fin-like ears and scales on her cheeks, shoulders, arms and thighs while the rest of her body was smooth pale flesh – looked at her husband in concern and saw with her bright turquoise eyes that he was looking pained.

"Husband?" she said in a gentle and worried voice as she reached out and placed her hand on his strong forearm. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Poseidon looked at her with distraught sea green eyes and murmured, "My son… Orion…"

* * *

At the sound of the cry of agony, my mind suddenly recalled another memory.

_A scene from not too long ago, I remembered. I was aiming my arrow at a wild boar up ahead of me, concentrating very hard to get a perfect shot. When I had achieved that, I let go of the bowstring and sent the arrow flying in the direction of the boar. But at that moment, a cry of panic sounded from above, but it turned into a cry of pain when my arrow grazed his shoulder…_

_And that cry was familiar enough for me to realize that it could only belong to him…_

"**ORION!**"

It was his voice. I could not deny it. I could recognize it anywhere. And the pain in his cry could only be because of what I really hoped wasn't true…

I whipped my head around to look at Apollo in distraught, but I was suddenly taken aback once I had taken immediate notice that there were no signs of shock, surprise or even confusion on his facial expression. He looked absolutely neutral, but his eyes, which were locked and focused on me, gave him away by showing that he somehow – or really did – expected it to happen.

I could only stare at him in hurt and disbelief, and my lips could only work for a while to murmur under my breath, "You knew…"

He said nothing and kept silent and still as a stone, his eyes still locked on me firmly.

I felt my heart cracking at the thought that Apollo had lied to me. I absolutely could not believe it! He knew that the figure in the ocean was none other than Orion, but he could still have the audacity to lie and even challenge me to shoot! How could he? How could he?!

He had never lied to me before until this day! And for what? Revenge?!

As utterly and completely pained and grief-stricken as I was, I knew that I could waste no more time standing next to the new liar and traitor of a younger twin brother. I forced myself to stop paying him attention and instead focus on saving Orion, my heart utterly hopeful that there was still even a chance left.

In a flash, I dived into the ocean waters, not caring about my clothes and the fact that I was still wearing my boots. But I was mindful of my quiver of arrows and the bow in my hand as I started swimming in the direction that would lead me to Orion. I kept my head up throughout in order to get some air as I stroked through the turbulent waters. When it seemed as though the currents were pulling me back and further away from him, I pushed myself to keep on going and brave through the raging waters.

All of a sudden, while I was underneath, the waters around me turned from a nice bluish-green shade to a darker color that was nearly crimson. I was confused and studied the wisps of crimson red that was submerged in the water. I gasped in shock when I was able to detect the faint rusty and salty scent of mortal blood in the water, and I cried in horror when I realized what was in front of me.

Orion was sinking slowly into the sea, with his eyes closed and his arms outstretched, indicating that he had been trying to keep himself afloat but had failed to do so. But what made me want to cry out in agony was the silver arrow which was impaled into the side of his neck, where the blood was slowly flowing out.

I could feel my heart breaking quickly deep inside my chest at the sight of what I had done to him. Despite being in the water, I still allowed myself to cry out in horror. But it was then I had noticed that there were faint bubbles coming from his nose, meaning that he was still breathing a bit. That gave me a new but small sense of hope that I could still be able to save him.

Without wasting even a single second, I swam over to him and slid my arms under his underarms so that I was holding him to me. Then I kicked my powerful legs to propel me upwards, carrying him along with me to the surface.

Because I had a stronger body – both internally and externally – than that of even a mortal man, I did not need to take deep breaths to replenish my oxygen level and I was still feeling fine when my head was above the waters. My main concern now was Orion, who looked as though he was coming through, but very slowly. In a spur of moments, I grabbed the stalk of my silver arrow and swiftly pulled it out of his neck, causing more blood to flow from the open wound. I wanted to cry at the sight of more blood flowing from the wound, but was stopped short when he let out a small gasp of pain and slowly opened his eyes to me.

"Ar… Arte… mis?" he asked in a voice that was barely even a whisper.

I threw away the arrow into the sea and hugged him closer to me, being careful to stay clear of his wound. "I'm here… I'm here… I'm here…" I whispered back to him desperately. I held him so that he was slightly above me in order to avoid him from sinking back into the waters. Then I kicked my legs so that I was swimming in the direction of shore. As I swam, I never kept my eyes off Orion. Seeing him taking small and shallow breaths made me so worried and anxious and I just felt like crying at the thought that I had done this to him.

"It's going to be okay…" I murmured in his ear as I continued swimming us to shore. "It's going to be okay…" And then, as my eyes started slowly welling up in tears, I added in a soft whisper, "I love you…"

Orion only mumbled something unintelligible in response, and it pained me to not hear him reply the same thing.

"Just hold on…" I whispered pleadingly. "Hold on, please…"

Finally, I could feel the wet sandy ground below the soles of my boots and I gasped in relief. Quickly, I trudged out of the water, still holding Orion carefully and protectively in my arms. When we were both out of the sea and on the white powdery sand, I laid him down and cradled his head in my arms.

I pulled away my quiver and tossed it aside with my bow before I smoothed away the wet locks of bronze hair that were sticking to his face and placed the palm of my hand above his wound. I could feel his warm blood gathering in the center of my palm, and I gasped soundlessly.

"Orion… Orion…" I murmured his name.

Thank Mount Olympus that he managed to lift his eyelids, even if it was a little bit. Seeing the teal green of his eyes helped me.

"I'm going to make the pain go away… Okay?"

Again, he did not say anything. But he nestled his head closer to my bosom and weakly lifted a hand to place on my arm. I responded by craning my neck down to place my lips on his wet head.

I gathered up my energy and released it through the palm of the hand that was on his wound. I could feel my power working on his skin, but it wasn't working in the way I wished. I continuously hoped with all my heart that it was enough to heal him and save his life. Oh, how I wish I had some ambrosia right now! That would at least help with things!

"Please… Please…. Let it be enough…" I whispered with a pained heart.

All of a sudden, a tall shadow loomed over the both of us. I hesitantly tore my eyes away from Orion and met the focused blue eyes of Apollo.

The minute I saw him, the fire of anger I now harbored towards him flared anew. However, I shockingly found myself begging and pleading to him immediately.

"Apollo! Please! Help him!" I cried to him with tears that were quickly streaming down my cheeks. "Please! I beg of you! Please! Please!"

I could only feel a flicker of hope when I saw something change in his eyes.

* * *

Apollo could only stare blankly at Artemis, who was kneeling on the ground and holding her wounded lover in her arms. He could feel her aura radiating strongly in the air and he could instantly confirm that she was trying very hard to heal him.

But then she lifted her dark blue eyes and he could see instantly the pain, hurt and grief that she was feeling in her heart. He was taken aback then; never before had he seen her sister in such a further state of pain and desperation. Artemis right now was totally far from the normal cool, calm and collected Artemis that was well-known.

Apollo had expected his sister to snarl in fury or scream angrily at his face, so it was a complete surprise for him when she started to beg him to help Orion.

He wanted so much to just say nothing and just continue to gaze at her in her pitiful state, wanting to show that he refused and that he was glad that he had gotten his revenge. But as the sight of his older sister's heartbroken expression and her pleading cries became clearer through the thoughts of vengeance, he felt his heart stop at the realization of what had just truly happened and who it was that caused his sister so much grief in the first place.

_Gods above… What have I done..._

Immediately, he took a step forward to prepare to do all he could to save the dying man in Artemis' arms. But just as only one step was taken, a new stern voice sounded from behind Artemis.

"It is futile."

* * *

I turned around in the direction of the new firm and spine-tingling voice and saw a very pale man with long and straight ash-white hair that reached the area of his elbows and ash-grey eyes that looked as though it could stop a mortal's heart from beating. He wore a black exomis that had the hem touching his ankles. I also noticed that there was a long sword in a silver scabbard that hung from a belt around his waist.

I would have thought that he was a normal mortal with strange pale looks if it wasn't for the dark aura that radiated strongly from him and the pair of large fathomless black feathered wings on his back.

This was the very first time I have seen him, but I knew exactly who he was. And my heart beat furiously with fear as I whispered his name.

"Thanatos…"

The God of Death and the Messenger of Hades only silently bowed his head once in greeting before walking closer, his wings folding by themselves and disappearing out of sight. His pale grey eyes were on me and then shifted over to Orion, who was looking at him through half-lidded eyes.

He took a deep breath before he spoke. "I am afraid that I cannot allow Lord Apollo to heal Orion. His thread of life is coming to an end and I am here to collect his soul to personally escort him to the Underworld, for he is a son of King Poseidon of the Seas."

In panic, I immediately held Orion closer and tighter to me as I exclaimed in response, "NO! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM! YOU CAN'T!"

Thanatos frowned disapprovingly at my outburst and his lips pursed into a thin line.

"I am very sorry to inform you that I cannot abide to your request, Lady Artemis," he told me sternly. "Once a soul is at the very last moments of life, he must be prepared to be taken to the Underworld, where he would be judged by the Three Judges of the Dead and given sentence by King Hades. If ever he dares to cheat death or if another party refuses to allow him to pass on…"

He suddenly paused, gripped the black hilt of his sword and drew the weapon out of its sheath, revealing the blade to be made out of strong and sharp black stygian iron. I gasped under my breath at the sight of the deadly blade, at the same time Apollo exclaimed a firm but panicking 'No' from behind me.

"The matter will be dealt with by my own bare hands upon the strict orders of the Underworld court," Thanatos finished, gripping the black handle of the sword firmly in his hand. He looked at me hard in the eye for a while before he continued on. "But because you are the niece of Lord Hades and the daughter of the great Lord Zeus, and because you are one of the Twelve Olympians, I will swear upon the river Styx that I will not inflict any form of harm – even one of the slightest – upon you. However, I will see to it that you will face the consequences of your actions if you so ever choose to act in defiance."

Thanatos then slid the sword back into his scabbard and came closer towards me. Then, in a calmer and more gentler voice, he said to me, "Orion is dying. You cannot deny that and you cannot stop it. If you wish for him to have peace, you will let him go."

I said nothing in response and only continued to stare at the deity of death through heavy tears. I could feel myself shaking in fear at the thought of allowing him to take Orion's soul to the Underworld. I could not bear the thought of having my beloved taken away from me for life right now. To be honest, I had half a mind to disobey him and force Apollo to revive him as quickly as possible, no matter what the consequences would be.

But a hand gently cupping my cheek tore me away from my doubtful thoughts.

"Artemis…"

I turned my head immediately to look upon Orion's face. He looked sad at the sight of me crying for his life. He did not mind the tears that fell form my eyes and onto his face.

"It's okay… It's okay…" he whispered to me reassuringly.

I shook my head. "No… I don't want you to leave me… Please… Don't…" I said to him in painful sobs.

Tears started welling up in his teal green eyes, some escaping and streaming down the corner of his face. The hand on my cheek slowly slid up to the back of my hand, and I allowed him to bring my head down closer to his to press his lips on mine.

The kiss, although still holding the sweetness of love, was sad and painful. As he gently shaped his lips against mine, I could not bear to think of it as the final kiss between us; a kiss goodbye. I did not want this moment to end. Instead, I wanted it to be better; for Orion, for me and even for Apollo. I just wanted it to be better for anyone involved.

After a while, Orion ended the kiss, much to my dismay. But he did not further the distance between our faces. Instead, he placed my forehead onto his and we gazed at each other's eyes; teal green locking on midnight blue.

As I continued to cry in heartbreak, he soothed me with beautiful words. He kept on saying my name, interlaced with terms of endearments like 'darling', 'dear', 'beautiful' and 'love'. With each loving word that his lips speak, I cried even more.

And then, he whispered, "I love you, Artemis… Forever…"

I broke out into a new wave of tears which continuously rained down onto his face. Through my sobs and my cries, I managed to whisper back, "I love you too, Orion… Forever…"

I did not notice that Thanatos had walked around us and was now in front of me until his pale hand placed itself on the part of Orion's chest where his heart would be. I pulled back in shock, but I felt like my voice was gone when I saw Thanatos slowly lifting his hand and a wispy mist starting flowing out of my beloved's chest.

The wispy mist seemed to be beckoned by Thanatos and it suddenly took on a solid shape and a whole new appearance; the appearance of a white butterfly. It radiated a soft aura and it glowed so enchantingly and eerily, looking so ethereal yet at the same time so unreal.

I knew what that butterfly symbolized. It symbolized Orion's soul.

And then, just as Thanatos took the butterfly gently onto the palm of his hand, Orion's hand fell away slowly from my head; at the very same time his heart stopped beating and his breathing was halted.

It was that very moment I finally felt my entire world came down crashing upon me.

I could only gaze at his lifeless face. I saw that his eyes were now closed and his skin had transitioned from a normal color to a sickly pale shade. His body was slowly losing its warmth and it was only seconds later when he started to feel cold in my arms. When I brought a shaking hand to be placed on the area of his heart, I could immediately feel a deep sense of loss when I could no longer feel it beating.

Thanatos stood then, but I did not look. I still had my eyes locked on Orion's face. He still looked so beautiful, as though he were just sleeping. How I hoped that the thought was true; how I hoped that he was just sleeping peacefully.

"My sincere condolences to you, Lady Artemis," I heard Thanatos say with a pitiful voice. "The only thing now is to hope that the Three Judges and Lord Hades will sentence him to a reasonable afterlife."

I said nothing in response and Thanatos disappeared back to the Underworld without another word.

The air around me was silent except for the calm crashing of the waves onto the shore and the seagulls that were flying high up in the air were squawking as they usually did, but I seemed to somehow sense a tone of sadness in their cries. Even the forest ahead of me seemed so still, as though there was not even one form of life roaming around.

Suddenly, I felt _his _hand on my shoulder and _his _voice whispering, "Sister…"

I roughly pushed Apollo's hand off me as if it was burning poison, making him fall onto the ground. I whipped my head around to face him and saw the frightened, saddened and completely guilty expression on his face as he picked himself off the ground.

But I did not pity him one bit because I was absolutely burning with rage.

"**GET OUT!**" I snarled menacingly at him with my teeth bared. "**GET OUT! I DON'T WANT YOU AROUND HIM! I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE HERE! I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT YOUR FACE! LEAVE!**"

After giving one more menacing glare at him and a dangerous growl, I turned back my attentions to Orion and immediately started weeping once again. I clutched his head gently to my breasts and pressed my forehead against his, heartbroken at the feel of him so lifeless in my arms.

Apollo ran away then.

* * *

_What have I done? __**WHAT HAVE I DONE?!**_

As the golden chariot went through the golden gates of Mount Olympus, Apollo was crying. He was crying at the thought of hurting his sister so deeply and badly. He did not intend things to go this way. All he wanted was to teach her a lesson. He never intended it to be worse!

_What were you thinking?! _he scolded himself mentally. _Why would you come up with a plan like that?! How could you have been so stupid?!_

He cursed himself for letting his rage and jealousy poison his mind and blind him form seeing things as they really were. Now, Apollo truly knew that Orion had indeed loved Artemis genuinely, evidenced in how he had given her one final kiss and proclaim his everlasting love for her before taking his one final breath. Now, Apollo knew that his sister was not foolishly infatuated with him but actually truly in love with him. Now, Apollo knew that because of what he did, because of his blind foolish jealousy, he had torn those two apart forever.

He jumped off his chariot and ran inside, leaving two stablehands looking confused. He threw open the doors and prepared himself to run to a quiet corner where he can wallow in grief, but he was stopped short by the sight of his mother standing right in front of him, looking at him with sad tear-filled eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

He could feel his heart crack at the sight of her.

"Apollo…" she whispered in quiet sadness. "What have you done?"

Apollo did not answer, for he began to cry even more and ran away from the scene, his heart slowly breaking into many shattered pieces.

* * *

Eventually, news of Artemis' deception by Apollo broke out and it spread like wildfire throughout the palace. It was the most discussed topic of gossip of the day for the residents of the palace; both deities and servants.

The younger Olympians were all shocked by the news of what their half-brother had done. They had never expected that he would do such a thing, especially to his older twin sister. Despite the fact that they knew what his feelings were towards Artemis' relationship with Orion and Orion himself, they had not expected that he would act so rash upon his ill-feelings and inflict such hurt on Artemis and betray her trust.

When the news had reached Zeus' ears, his feelings towards the situation could be seen in his stormy grey eyes despite him not voicing it out so openly. One could see that he was absolutely enraged about what his golden son had done and that he was also feeling then utmost pity for his silver daughter.

His feelings were evidenced in the way that the skies throughout the world darkened quickly; the dark grey clouds completely blocking out the bright blue sky and the golden sun.

When night was to approach and Helios and Selene brought down the sun and brought forth the moon respectively without informing anyone, Hermes came to him with two messages from Poseidon and Hades. The one from the Sea King held words that spoke of his grief towards the death of his son while the one from Underworld King held words that voiced how shocked he was to receive Orion's soul from Thanatos, the God of Death.

But all Zeus could think of was Artemis. She was not back to the palace and he could not help but be concerned of her current state of mind. He was worried that she could do something reckless.

So immediately, he teleported himself to Crete.

It was the first thing he saw when he appeared on the beaches. His daughter was kneeling on the sand and with her upper body hunched over her deceased lover in her arms.

Artemis was rocking back and forth and murmuring something under her breath. Her dark hair of blackish-brown shades looked straggly and unkempt and covered one half of her face. Zeus could tell that she was crying as seen in the way her body, especially her shoulders, shuddered.

Suddenly, she lifted her head up slowly to him and he was immediately shocked by how completely broken she looked. Her midnight blue eyes that had always looked fierce, confident and so full of life were now completely devoid of emotion and were wet with tears. Her cheeks were pale and completely tear-stained, showing that she had not even bothered to wipe away the tears from earlier on.

In simpler words, she looked haggard, exhausted and completely heartbroken.

Zeus said nothing and only looked at her in pity. Artemis did not say anything as well and only turned her head to look at the bloodless face of Orion, who looked as though he was merely sleeping peacefully.

After a while, Zeus crouched beside her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Artemis did not push it away.

In a murmur, he told her, "Let us place him in remembrance."

* * *

Zeus brought me to one of the towers of the palace, to the very roof of it. Following us was four of Zeus' guards, who were each holding onto a handle pole of a very flat wooden bed, where Orion lay underneath a white silk cloth.

The moon was full and the many stars were sparkling brightly, but I could feel no joy at the sight of them. Orion's death had left me feeling completely hollow, though grief was still adamant. It had been there with me since the very second Thanatos took away the white butterfly that was his soul. It seemed that when Orion had passed on, he took my heart with him to the Underworld.

Zeus suddenly stopped and the guards and I did the same. He turned to look at me with pitiful grey eyes and told me gently, "Say your final words to Orion, Artemis."

Wordlessly, I moved to the side of the wooden bed and knelt down so that my face would be on level with Orion's. With a gentle hand, I lifted the sheet away and pulled it to his waist so that I would be able to see both his face and the stone and wood club that was on his chest, clasped under his folded hands. The club had washed up on shore beside me sometime around evening, and I decided to have to return it to Orion because it was his treasure.

His body had been cleansed by Paean the physician of Mount Olympus, with the wounds all around his body and the one on his neck that had been caused by my arrow gone, but I know that the painful memory of it still lingered underneath his restored flesh.

I brought my face closer to his and kissed him softly on his lips. He was so cold that my lips felt as though they were kissing snow, but I did not care. I have already gone far past the point of caring for anything except for my dead fiancé.

I kept my lips still on his and felt tears welling up my eyes as I wished that he would kiss me back. I very much missed the feel of his warm lips against mine and the sweetness of love and passion that was shared in every kiss. I cried even more at the thought that I would never experience it again.

I finally, but reluctantly, pulled my lips away from his, but I moved it to place a kiss on his forehead and ran my fingers through his bronze hair.

When I felt the coldness of his forehead touching my lips, I whispered against his skin, "I love you… I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Author's Note:

Okay... So today's December 21st... And the end of the world didn't happen at all.

But when I released this chapter, I felt like my world came to an end...

Gods above, so many tears had been shed while I typed this out! I had to stop various times to calm myself down! Poor Orion! Poor Artemis! Why, Apollo?! Why did you have to let yourself get blinded by jealousy?! Why did you have to do such a thing?!

Sighs... Anyway, I'm kind of realizing that at this rate, Promises would end somewhere mid-January next year. Sorry if some of you think that it's getting ridiculously long, but I guess that's how things turn out...

Anyway, it had come to my attention that I would be posting the next chapter right on Christmas. Now, I don't celebrate Christmas (I'm not Christian, to be honest. I will spare you all the knowledge of my actual religion) and I know that most of you would be having fun with your families and friends, but I would like to wish all of you an advance Merry Christmas :)

Stay tune for the next chapter, okay guys?

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	33. Chapter 32

**_The Difficult Aftermath_**

Zeus placed a hand on my shoulder to pull me away, and I followed obediently. As I stood aside, he lifted the sheet to cover Orion completely once again before lifting and hovering him above the palms of his hands. The guards bowed in respect before quickly but orderly leaving our presence. I took no notice of them and instead watched my father intently. When we were the only ones left, he walked towards the roof edge and I followed closely behind, staying completely silent and watching the scenario.

And then, he slowly brought up his hands, lifting Orion's body into the air. But when the body was high above his head, he slowly brought his hands down while the body continued to float higher above towards the sky.

I watched the body fly higher into the night sky until I noticed that it disappeared and the silk cloth floated further away. Fear etched into me as I wondered where he had gone. I was afraid that it would have disappeared for the face of the Earth, with nothing left for me to remember him by.

And suddenly, something amazing happened.

Several new stars suddenly appeared in the dark night sky and shone so brightly that the light could shine onto my face. I could make out some sort of shape out of those new bright stars and realized then that they were in the form of a constellation. I didn't know why I thought of it as that of a man who had one leg up, and he was holding a club in his right hand while his left hand was holding something that seemed akin to a bow, a shield or the skinned hide of an animal.

And then I started to realize.

"Orion?" I whispered to myself as the shape began to look even more familiar to me.

I felt my father's arm drape onto my shoulders and he pulled me close to him. "Now, he will forever be with you in the night," he murmured gently to me. "You may not be together in physical form, but you may always see each other when you bring forth the moon and the night arrives in its wake."

My father then brought me into a comforting hug, just in time for me to start breaking down into tears once again.

* * *

Zeus accompanied me back to my room and it was there I saw each of the Olympians, standing outside their respective bedroom door and looking at me with sincere sadness and pity in their eyes. I wanted to scoff right then. I did not want pity. I hated being pitied. It made me feel weak and pathetic.

However, I could not bring myself to care anymore.

It took me a few seconds to realize that they were standing in respect for me. But as I started walking slowly to my own room door, with Zeus following right beside me, Aphrodite got out of her position and wrapped her arms gently around me. I froze at the contact as she whispered, "I am so sorry, Artemis."

It was one of the rarest moments where she had actually been very sincere to me. But I know she was sincere only because I've lost the only man I loved. That could be seen as both a good and bad thing; good because it showed that she somewhat cared about me, bad because it could be because she could no longer watch me fall under the spells of love.

I wanted to push her away and say that I did not want her sympathy. But I know that it would be unreasonable of me to be vile to her when she had absolutely nothing to do with the situation. So instead, I kept silent and just stayed still; completely taut as a bowstring.

When Aphrodite released me, it was Hestia that claimed me next into her warm and comforting embrace, followed by Athena and Hermes. As I allowed myself to be embraced by them, still keeping quiet and still, Zeus, Hera, Ares , Dionysus and Hephaestus stood aside and watched quietly.

When I was finally free to go back to my room, I turned…

Only to meet the eyes of my brother.

Apollo's eyes looked the same as they were from earlier on; filled with the emotions of guilt, sadness, hurt and sympathy. I noticed the sad and worried frown his eyebrows were pulled into and how tightly clamped his lips were.

All of sudden, he extended his arms out gently and took a step towards me, and I felt gobsmacked and somewhat insulted that he _dared _to even try to embrace me.

With a snarl and all the rage, fury and hatred that was eating away at what little remained of my heart, I let out a scream and immediately and forcefully tackled him to the ground.

He let out a yell of panic when his back was on the ground and I was straddling his abdomen. But that cry immediately turned into pleads for me to stop when I started punching and scratching his face and pulling at his hair and attempting to strangle him. He tried to grab my wrists to stop me, but failed to do so. I was allowing myself to act fully like a wild animal and allow the anger to consume me whole. I did not want to stop. I really did want him to feel pain and hurt.

"**DAMN YOU!**" I shrieked hotly at him. "**DAMN YOU TO TARTARUS! YOU MONSTER!**"

I only stopped when I felt myself being forcefully pulled away by two pair of strong hands; each holding onto one of arms. I whipped my head to see that it was Hermes and Ares that was pulling me away, and I immediately demanded angrily that they let me go so that I could finish Apollo off.

As I struggled like some trapped animal, Apollo slowly brought himself back up onto his feet. He kept his eyes on me and tears were slowly filling up his eyes and streaming down his cheeks.

I forced myself to stop struggling because Ares and Hermes' grip on my arms were becoming tighter. But I didn't stop myself from shouting at Apollo.

"**I PROMISED YOU THAT I WOULD STILL BE WITH YOU! I KEEP MY PROMISES! I ALWAYS HAD AND ALWAYS WILL! BUT DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO BELIEVE ME?! DID YOU EVEN GIVE ME THE CHANCE TO PROVE TO YOU THAT I WOULD STILL BE WITH YOU IF I WISHED TO BE WITH ORION?!**"

While Ares kept his tight hold on me, Hermes let go of my arm and instead hugged me to him. Feeling the warmth of his arms made me cry hot tears yet again.

"**HOW COULD YOU?!**" I demanded to know."**HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! WHY DID YOU TRICK ME?! I TRUSTED YOU!** **I TRUSTED YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE MY BROTHER! BUT YET YOU COULD STILL DO SUCH A THING TO ME?!**"

Tears continued to stream down his cheeks and he hung his head in shame. In the meanwhile, I forced myself to take deep breaths and cease my shouts. Hermes rubbed my back to soothe me and Ares finally let go of my arm and stood to the side.

Zeus took this moment to step in. He stood in between me and Apollo and said, "Artemis, return to your room and get some sleep. Leave your brother to think about the grave misdeed he had committed towards you."

Apollo cringed noticeably, but he lifted his head to look at me when I spat poisonously, "'Brother'? What 'brother'? I have no 'brother'. Not anymore."

And immediately, I got myself out of Hermes' arms, threw open the doors to my room, got inside and slammed it shut.

I could hear faint sounds of the others moving away to their own respective rooms, but I heard a weight placing itself against my doors. I heard quiet crying, but I refused to pay any more attention to him.

I got into bed and buried my face in the mounds of silk pillows to soften the sounds of my immense crying.

* * *

Leto could no longer bear the tension that heated up between her two children, so she retreated to her abode and sanctuary on the island of Delos.

Her home was located on one of the highlands and overlooked the large temple that was dedicated specially to her. She felt very safe in her private home and loved to visit her temple sometimes, where usually mortal women would go to pray to her to be able to take care of their children properly and become good mothers.

The house had been Artemis and Apollo's childhood home and the both of them were also worshiped at her temple by the women who wanted their children to be protected by them. Some women would most especially pray to Artemis to hope for good health in their future.

But now, Leto was at loss. How was she to answer the prayers of these women when she herself was suffering at the bitterness that had been evolved between her children?

She could not believe that Apollo, who usually was calm and level-headed, would allow jealousy to cause him to commit such a deed. She still loved him with all her heart, but of course she was upset and disappointed that he would even trick his sister into unknowingly killing the only man she loved.

And what of Artemis now? She must be feeling so upset. No; upset was an understatement. She must be feeling so very distraught; both at the loss of her beloved and the betrayal of her brother. Of course, she would. Anyone else would naturally feel the same way if they were in her situation.

Leto sat herself on the stone bench that was situated on the cliff, right at the back of the house, and looked up at the moon. As thoughts of her daughter and her loss filled her mind, she felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

* * *

I spent majority of the night gazing at the new constellation that was Orion. Throughout the hours, I had been shifting between sleep and wake. But after a while, I decided to remain awake because every time I closed my eyes and slept, I kept on having nightmares.

Actually, it was all memories of the moments that led up to Orion's death, but it was still like nightmares. It always started with images of Orion, still very much alive and being the jolly and loving person that he truly was. Then it would change to images of Apollo and his fury. Then it would change to the memory of that rock on Leon that Orion and I had sat upon twice and where Apollo had tricked me into shooting Orion, lying that it was a villain.

And when I could hear Orion's cry of pain and agony running through my mind, my eyes would fly open and I would wake up with a loss of breath.

And each time I woke up, I would start crying to myself when I realized that it wasn't nightmares and it did truly happen. How I wish that it wasn't true. The thought of Orion's death coming from my hand never failed to make me break down into tears and wallow in sadness.

But in me, I could feel a spark of determination that I could still get him back. One part of me told myself that there was no way and advised that I should just learn to let it go. While it may be a good idea, it would be extremely difficult and I don't think I would ever let it go. On the other hand, the other part of me told me to find a way to maybe gain a few more moments with Orion, thinking that if I had just a few more moments, I would be able to deal with this better.

And I knew just the way to do it.

It was near dawn right now and it pained me immensely to watch Orion's new constellation fade away with the other stars. I knew that Zeus would see to it that Selene would take over my duties. Knowing that I had plenty of time, I immediately got ready.

I shed the clothes that I had fallen asleep in and changed into a long dark emerald green chiton, also donning a dark blue himation and a pair of silk slippers onto my feet. After combing my fingers through my messy bistre hair a few times and sitting quietly to allow my heartbeat to become calm, I finally took a deep breath and proceeded out of my room.

I was carefully quiet as I opened the door, got out of my room and shut the door. But it wasn't long before a voice stopped me from making another move.

"Artemis? Where are you going?"

I hesitantly turned my head to look at Hermes, who was just exiting out of his room with a look of worry and concern in his spring green eyes. His pale blonde hair was messy and he donned only a pair of sleeping trousers, revealing his lean and well-toned chest.

I sighed and looked away from him as I admitted quietly, "If you must know, I'm going to the Underworld."

Hermes' eyes widened in surprise. "What?" he questioned in a whisper. "Why? Whatever for?"

I clutched a handful of the himation's cloth in my fist as I forced myself to answer his question.

"I want to plead to Hades to return Orion's soul to me. I am so disturbed by what I had done and only wish to have him back." Then, with a pleading voice, I said to him, "Please, don't stop me from doing this. I have to try, Hermes. I have to at least try."

Hermes did not reply. Instead, he came closer and wrapped his arms tenderly around me, holding me. I stayed still and relaxed into his embrace as I heard him say gently, "I'm coming with you."

It was then I pulled away to look at him questionably. With a small smile, he told me, "I am also called Hermes Cthonius and I have traveled to and fro the Underworld countless times. I can bring you there with more ease."

With a small sense of hope, I smiled gratefully and whispered, "Thank you so much."

* * *

The Underworld was just as I had imagined; very dark, with only a few orbs of flames illuminating the place, and quite dreary. But it wasn't really so scary and dreadful, to be honest. It just seemed… quiet and slightly lifeless, save for the deities who were bound to this realm.

I held on tight to Hermes, who held me in his arms as he flew to the palace of Hades, and looked down at the dark river Styx below us. There was mist hanging over the great river and I could make out the faint image of the ferryman of the Underworld carrying souls onto his boat.

Finally, Hermes landed upon the steps leading to the palace. I was indeed quite surprised that it did not look as horrifying as most had imagined it to be. It just looked like a magnificent palace built out of ash-grey stone.

Hermes took my hand and led me into the palace, where I was immediately taken with the luxurious décor in the inside. Though the palace of Mount Olympus rivaled easily with the palace of the Underworld, it was still very beautiful and extravagant. Hades does live up to his reputation as the God of Riches.

I followed Hermes as he led me to a pair of huge bronze doors. As I admired the design of the doors, he explained to me, "This is the throne room. Hades is in here as of the moment." Then, he asked with concern, "Are you prepared, Artemis?"

I took a deep breath and nodded my head. "Yes, I am," I replied. But in actuality, I was still feeling very uncertain of what I wished to do. However, I only pushed that thought aside because I knew that it was better than not doing anything at all.

Hermes nodded his head once before he lifted a hand and knocked on the door loudly. Only a few seconds had passed before the bronze doors opened by itself and he led me into the throne room.

The room I was led into was huge and dark as the palace from the outside. The floor was of grey marble and the walls were painted a rich shade of black. Hanging from the ceiling above us was a huge obsidian chandelier that held many oil lamps that were aflame, providing light to the room.

Ahead of the room was a tall dais that was led from the bronze doors by a long strip of crimson carpeting. And on that dais were two thrones.

Seated on a throne of black ebony and shining gold was Hades, my uncle and the Underworld king who looked absolutely regal and powerful as ever. He with the most fathomless pitch black hair and eyes was donned in a long black exomis with trimmings of gold and red thread and a silver sash that acted as a belt.

Beside him was an empty throne that was also made out of ebony and gold but had jewels that formed multiple floral designs all over. I knew for sure that the jeweled throne belonged to Persephone, his absent wife and queen.

Hades raised an eyebrow at seeing both Hermes and I walking forward. We stopped about fifteen steps away from the base of the dais and bowed in respect to him.

"Greetings, Lord Hades," Hermes greeted on behalf of both of us before we straightened our posture. Hades stood from his throne and bowed his head once. "Greetings, Hermes and Artemis. And what is the reason for your presence here?"

Hermes glanced at me and gestured for me to explain. I nodded and took a deep breath to speak. But just before I could, another voice spoke up from the side of the dais.

"Lady Artemis is here for matters concerning the demigod Orion, Lord Hades."

I recognized that voice instantly and turned my head to the side to see Thanatos standing there. His serious ash-grey eyes locked onto my midnight blue ones and he bowed his head in greeting.

Hades raised an eyebrow at me in question. I gulped and nodded my head in agreement. "Yes. I am here concerning Orion, Lord Hades. To be honest, I am actually here to plead before you."

That certainly took Hades off-guard. "Plead to me for what, Artemis?" he inquired in a curious voice.

Inhaling another deep breath, I revealed to him my wish.

"I wish to ask for your permission to allow Orion out of the Underworld and back into the land of the living."

The shock Hades felt could be seen clearly on his face. His eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed, surely not believing what he was hearing from my lips.

"What?" he said in a shocked tone. "Surely, you cannot be serious."

I took another deep breath and nodded my head. "I am, Lord Hades," I affirmed. "I know that such a request is extremely difficult to grant, but I do hope that you can allow it."

"Do you have reason?" he asked.

I could feel my hands clenching and unclenching repetitively as I thought of the reason I was to give him. I was such a wreck; even the thought of it was enough to make me act like this.

"Artemis…" I heard Hermes whisper in concern.

I held back tears and looked at Hades straight in the eye as I explained, "I cannot forgive myself for what I did to him. His time with me has been cut too short and I grieve immensely of his passing. If you could just allow him another chance at life and restore his soul to the land of the living, I will forever be in great debt to you. Anything you wish from me, I shall grant without reluctance."

Hades eyed me contemplatively and looked absolutely deep in thought.

"Do you really love him so much that you would be willing to do anything for him?" he questioned.

Without hesitation, I nodded my head in agreement. "I do. I do love him with all my heart. So much that when his soul had been taken, I felt my heart disappear as well. Never before has any man made me feel so special and loved and love me in return."

Uncertainty took over Hades then and he looked down at Thanatos in contemplation. Both of them said nothing, but it felt as though they were communicating through eye contact. The silence was tense and I began fidgeting in anxiety. Hermes grasped my hand to calm me down, but it didn't do much good.

Finally, Hades looked back at me and said in a serious voice, "What you ask is truly great and difficult and it can cause many consequences if it happens. I understand that you wish to have this because of your love for him…"

He hesitated at that moment and my anxiety increased tenfold before he spoke again.

"But I am afraid I cannot grant you your request."

I felt my heart drop at the news and life was slowly seeping at the news. My anxiety only became slightly more and fear washed over me once again, leaving me feeling like I was about to have another awful breakdown.

"What?" I breathed in a shaky voice. "B-but… why?"

Thanatos stepped in front of me and answered, "Orion now resides in the Asphodel Plains due to him having a perfect balance of good and evil in his psyche. His soul would eventually become one with the realm as time passes. If Lord Hades were to grant you your heavy request, Orion's soul would be completely unable to adjust to living anymore."

I became completely desperate then.

"Then allow me to enter the Asphodel Plains to see him for myself!" I pleaded intently. "If you cannot allow him to return with me to the world above, then allow me to spend some moments with him so that I can properly apologize and say my final goodbyes to him!"

At hearing that, Hades shook his head disapprovingly. "Artemis, I cannot allow you to enter a realm of the dead because you are not of the Underworld and therefore are strictly denied entry. The same goes for any upperworld deity except Zeus." He then added in a pitiful tone, "I truly am sorry for your loss, but I cannot allow you to be with Orion."

Hearing the last part immediately made my heart started cracking. I had thought Hades – my own favorite uncle – would understand my case and grant me the favor, but even he could not do it; not because he did not want to but because he simply could not. If Hades himself could not give me what I wish, then that meant that I would have no chance at all to be with Orion one last time.

"Please…."

Hades sighed lowly and shook his head sorrowfully. "I truly am sorry, my niece," he told me gently with a tone of pity. "But it just cannot be done."

I felt the cracks in my heart spreading throughout, threatening to shatter completely. The tears were now filling my eyes completely, fogging my vision of the king on the throne and the Death God in front of me.

In another desperate attempt, I begged in another whisper, "Please…"

Thanatos' ash-grey eyes looked sadly at me, but he remained remote. "What Lord Hades says is right. It cannot-"

I could hold it back no longer.

"**PLEASE!**"

My heart was now completely broken in many shards. The tears streamed down my cheeks like violent waterfalls. My heart-wrenching cry echoed throughout the throne hall. My knees were weak and I could no longer hold myself up.

My whole body was in a prostration position, showcasing how completely submissive I was in my attempt to get my beloved's soul out of the Asphodel Plains and by my side once again. My arms were spread out, and I repeatedly banged the palms of my hands on the hard marble floor, atop the crimson carpeting, to plead to Hades.

"**I beg of you**!" I cried out loud in agony through my heavy tears, my face facing the floor. "**I beg of you, Lord Hades! I cannot live if Orion is not with me! I feel so broken and pained and empty inside without him! He is my life!**"

My palms were beginning to throb from being repeatedly pounded against the hard floor, but I was not willing to stop. I had to show to Hades that I really wished for him to accept my appeal.

"**I did not mean to kill him!**" I cried loudly and desperately. "**I was tricked! I was tricked by the evil God of the Sun! He tricked me into killing him! He tricked me!**"

I felt strong and comforting hands on my shoulders, feeling me shake violently underneath the palms. Hermes was kneeling beside me, coaxing me gently to get up. My knees remained plastered to the floor while I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him. He did not hesitate to hug me back gently, running his hand up and down my back comfortingly. I cried into his shoulder, wetting it with my tears. Hermes did not seem to mind and just hugged me tighter.

Suddenly, I felt another hand on my shoulder and I turned my face from Hermes' shoulder to look at Hades, who was now standing in front of us. His pitch black eyes looked at me in sadness.

"Oh, dear niece of mine. Such sorrow lies in your heart..." he murmured sadly to me.

I slowly moved my hands from Hermes and made to take hold of Hades' forearms. Behind him, Thanatos became alarmed and moved to stop me, but Hades shot him a look over his shoulder, making him stay where he was.

I shifted my body to face him, pleading to him in a tear-choked voice, "Please, Uncle…. Release him from the Plains… Return him to me so that my grief would vanish… Only he can take this ill-feeling away… I beg of you, Uncle…"

Hades said nothing. He just stayed still, his eyes still locked on me. But then, with one deep and heavy sigh, he whispered, "I'm so sorry…"

And just like that, the decision was final.

More tears fell and I hung my head in defeat, covering my face with both hands. I felt my chest throbbing from my crying and my broken heart. I found difficulty in breathing, sucking in gulps of air through my sobs.

I felt strong and lean arms envelop me and found myself pressed into the shoulder blade of my uncle. I found it strange that he was showing such affection to me, but I didn't care. I gripped his shoulders, trying to stabilize myself. My attempts were pathetic and I just continued to cry into his chest.

"I'm so sorry…" I heard him whisper again. I did not respond.

I don't know how much time had passed until Hermes finally took me away from Hades and lifted me into his arms. My hands stayed bunched up on my chest, my face pressing into the crook of his neck.

I heard him bid Hades and Thanatos farewell before turning away and walking out of the throne room. As he walked through the dark corridors, out of the palace and flew high above the river Styx, I could feel his spring green eyes focused on me.

But I remained silent.

* * *

Hermes flew through the golden gates of Mount Olympus, still carrying Artemis in his arms as he walked into the palace.

The sight of the Messenger God cradling the silent Hunting Goddess with tear-stained cheeks attracted the eyes of many. Even Dionysus had seen and was about to inquire of what had happened to her, but Hermes frowned slightly and shook his head to tell him that now was not the time for questions. Artemis did not even notice the exchange, still wallowing silently in her grief and pain.

Hermes looked at his half-sister and felt utmost pity for her when he saw her tearful midnight blue eyes. She looked so unhappy and lifeless. Was it even possible for a goddess to be in such a severe state of depression?

He was still looking at her when she spoke.

"I feel so empty, Hermes…" she said in a whisper. Her voice was so soft that he would not have heard it unless he focused.

He felt his sadness for her increase tenfold and held her to his chest tighter. She was still looking blankly at her hands when he replied, "I am so sorry, Artemis."

Then he turned his head when he thought he caught sight of a head of golden hair and a pair of bright blue eyes from a corner, but it disappeared quickly before he could determine whether or not it was there in the first place.

But if it was, he immediately knew who it was.

_He should feel ashamed of himself._ Hermes thought angrily. _Because of him, Artemis is completely broken._

* * *

Author's Note:

The angst is seriously slowly eating away at my heart... Just bear with it... A little while longer...

Oh, Apollo... I don't want to admit it, but I feel so very sorry for you...

So, let's welcome Hades, by the way. This is his very first appearance in the story. Anyway, I just want to point out something. The way Artemis had pleaded to Hades (in prostration position and banging the palms of her hands on the floor) was how the Ancient Greeks prayed to him. I wanted Artemis to do that to show how absolutely desperate she was for him to allow her request. And like I mentioned; yes, Hades is Artemis' favorite uncle (shocker!)

Anyway, I just want to tell you guys that I have a new short Artemis and Apollo one-shot out called **_A Precious Share_**. I was getting so depressed with lack of Artemis and Apollo affections so I wrote it to relieve myself. If you're interested, do check it out. Trust me, it is pretty short.

So, on a happier note, today is Christmas Eve. I made a mistake last chapter by thinking that today was Christmas :P So anyway, I just wish for all of you to have a very Merry Christmas and a soon-to-be Happy New Year! Hope all of you have fun with all of your loved ones! :)

So, until Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	34. Chapter 33

_**Troubled Years**  
_

_**Five years later…**_

For many years, it almost seemed impossible for such a thing to happen.

But after the terrible incident, it was proven wrong.

The Letoides, who were always known for their close and eternal bond, had actually separated for good.

* * *

I have watched four autumns pass by. Four times has Persephone left the Earth and descended back into the Underworld to rule by Hades' side as his Queen of the Dead. When she left the upperworld, she took the life of nature with her. I see the leaves in my forests turn brown and dry before they fall off from their branches all shriveled up and dead, leaving their trees stripped of nutrition and barren of life. Both the mortals and the animals have all started to gather food that would last them for the oncoming frost months. The lush greenery has disappeared throughout the lands and the wildlands are empty and silent. It was only a matter of time before the first snowflake fall from the sky.

Throughout those barren months for five years, I continued to gaze at the constellation in the night sky, feeling hot tears streaming down my cheek as I did.

I have watched four winters pass by. Demeter still wallowed in sad loneliness and constantly pined for her beloved daughter's return from the underground. She showed her immense depression through the constant rain of snow that fell from the gloomy and cold grey clouds in the sky. Both mortals and creatures stay out of the frost, not wanting to catch their death of cold. My forests are full of ice and snow and one of the only animals that would still be out are wolves. Sometimes, I sit in the middle of a barren forest and get surrounded by these magnificent creatures, listening to their haunting howls that always sounded as though they were pining for something.

Throughout those cold months for five years, I continued to gaze at the constellation in the night sky, feeling the weight of my unforgivable actions on my shoulders.

I have watched five springs pass by. Persephone ascended from the Underworld five times and graced the lands with life and beauty once again. The snow melted until all of it disappeared, the trees begin to sprout new leaves and grow new budding fruits. Colorful and sweet-smelling flowers appear wherever Persephone touched and the animals come out of hibernation and roam the wildlands once again. Even the mortals come out to enjoy the beloved time of spring; adults would start to work once again and children could be seen and heard playing. I roam the towns in the guise of a mortal girl sometimes, watching the happy smiles on many faces. I envy them for they could feel joy, but all I could come up with was only a smile of half-heartedness.

Throughout those happy months for five years, I continued to gaze at the constellation in the night sky, wishing that I could be that happy once again.

I have watched four summers pass by and am now in the moment of the midst of the fifth summer, but I constantly found myself loathing it.

Why?

It was because it was in the midst of the summer five years ago when I met Orion for the first time on Crete. It was in the midst of that summer when we became hunting companions, friends, confidants and lovers.

And it was in the midst of that summer when I had lost him forever.

Throughout the summer, everything would seem bleak to me. I could not bring myself to focus on the mortals or the creatures or the moon, no matter how hard I try. It was so difficult for me. I could not think or see anything else except him in my mind and him in the formation of shining bright stars in the dark night sky. Sometimes, I find myself going back to the places where I had fond memories with him, only to feel my heart break each time I remembered that it can never be regained.

Slowly, I began dreading the summer, for it only brought back terrible memories, and because the damn sun was at its brightest.

* * *

The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months and the months turned into years. Five years, to be exact.

And still, after five years, Apollo continued to be unable to forgive himself.

The reception of his actions was extremely harsh at the beginning. The other Olympians and the other deities who resided in the palace would avoid him. Sometimes, they whisper among themselves about him, even if it could be seen by him. He wanted to lash out at them and give him a piece of his mind, but he would always stop and decide that the embarrassment and shame was what he deserved.

A few months after what had happened, he was looking at the constellation of Orion – which everyone was talking about now – when he noticed a new constellation appear beside it. The shape was so familiar that Apollo could immediately determine that it was a scorpion. He felt his heart drop at the sight of it, and he felt even worse when Zeus later revealed to him that he knew exactly everything he had done – what he said to Gaia, sending Scorpius to kill Orion and tricking his sister into killing him herself – and that Gaia herself had requested he placed Scorpius in the sky as a constant remainder of his devious and cruel actions. Now, whenever he looked at the stars and caught a glance of Scorpius, he would always cringe at the bitter and terrible memory.

For the first year after what had happened, the others seemed very reluctant to communicate with him. All had taken the side of his sister. He understood why they chose to do so. Of course they would, since he had committed an evil deed to someone who had not done him entire wrong.

Even his own mother, who had now begun to stay in her private abode at Delos, acted different whenever she was with him. Despite all the kisses and embraces and sweet words she continued to bestow upon him, she always seemed guarded around him and that made him feel worse than he already was. He could not spend more than a few hours with his own mother because she wished to take care of Artemis, who had decided to stay with her in Delos for an unknown amount of time. Each time he asked when Artemis would come back to Mount Olympus, Leto would always reply, "Please do not ask me that, my son. That is for your sister to decide on her own."

The isolation always took a toll on Apollo and he would sometimes venture out to find some women to spend the night with, just for the sake of company. But even that did not do him much good. Yes, he could have just about any woman he desired, but what good was that when he could not regain his sister's love. What's more, he felt so pathetic that he was trying to sleep around just so that he could numb the pain he felt inside. It did not at all and it was completely and utterly pointless.

At times, he began to recall Cliantha, the Oceanid he had been with before the whole mess started. Last he heard, she had borne him a daughter, but she refused to let him see her because she was still upset that he had just left her. He did not complain and he did not bother her any longer. He did not even bother to find out the name of that daughter.

Artemis did come back eventually, in the middle of the second year, but she still remained hostile towards him. She avoided him as though he was a deadly and vile plague. Every single time he was in a close range to her, she would always move away so that she was as far away from him as possible. They would sit with different people and far away from each other in the dining hall or they could be situated far away from each other at different parts of a room if there was an event or such. Even the others, despite not wanting to get too involved, tried their best to keep the both of them apart so that no such trouble could be caused, though he knew that they just want this hostility to be over as well. He did too.

When the third year came by, Hermes, Dionysus and Ares had apparently decide to forget about the mental barriers they held around him and began to talk to and even joke around with him once again, treating him like the brother, friend and acquaintance that they had always known. As the months continued to pass by, even the others slowly started to interact with him again like they used to before, including Zeus. His mother too had finally to let down her guard and be the comforting arms that would always welcome him once more.

Though he appreciated that they were willing to treat him as an equal once again, it meant absolutely nothing to him because Artemis still refused to talk to him and look at him.

He remembered once, somewhere along the fourth year, he had walked into one of the lounges only to chance upon his sister and his father playing petteia and having drinks. He noticed the way she smiled and laughed with their father, only to have those expressions of joy disappear when she noticed him. Zeus, being the ever inviting person that he was, had gestured for him to join them if he wished. With a smile, Apollo proceeded to make his way towards them, only to stop short and have the smile disappear when Artemis got up from her seat and left the room without a word. She did not even spare him a glance as she walked past him and out of the room.

Apollo knew from the start that bearing with Artemis' grudge would not be easy and tried hard to be able to brave through it. But easier said than done; it seemed that every second that passed and his sister still does not acknowledge him, it killed him slowly even more from the inside.

* * *

For the first two years after what had happened, it had been so very difficult for me. I could never stop crying and I refused to be in anyone's company because I did not want to embarrass myself. I usually stayed in my room and lay down on my bed as I cried quietly. But if I ever do go out, I would be trying to resume hunting and be in the wildlands as I donned black.

I would occasionally get visits from Hermes, Dionysus, Athena, Hestia, sometimes Persephone and even Aphrodite, and they would all try to give me company and comfort. I always appreciated their kindness, but I felt ashamed that I was being such a burden to them even though they assured me that I wasn't.

My mother had informed me through letter that she was now residing on Delos for an indefinite period of time and told me that I was welcomed to join her. Without a moment's hesitation, I left for Delos. I took this as an opportunity to get myself straightened out and because seeing _him_ only made me feel worse.

Throughout my stay there, she took care of me and gave me her full company. She hunted with me and I accompanied her to her temple, where many women prayed to the both of us. And whenever I suddenly break into tears again or wake up from nightmares, she was always there to hold me until I felt better. One would surely be shocked at the sight of the fierce Goddess of the Hunt crying in the arms of her mother.

Sometimes, _he _came to the island to see her, but I knew that he actually wanted to see me. During those times, I would lock myself in my room and refuse to come out or I would roam and remain in the forests until he left. I know that he requested my mother to allow him to see me, but my mother understood my case and would always gently deny him his request.

During that period of retreat, I would sometimes contact Hermes and request him to take me to the sea. He never refused once and would come by in a short amount of time to personally escort me to the Poseidon's underwater kingdom. During my first visit there, I mourned with my uncle. Amphitrite would always be there to soothe him while Hermes would stand by the sides in respect. I had apologized to Poseidon for what I have done, but he simply but sorrowfully told me that this was what the Fates had decided and that there was no changing it. At that time, I had wanted to return the beautiful pearl necklace that they had gifted to me, for I thought that I do not deserve such a gift after what I had done. But with gentle and genuine affection, both Poseidon and Amphitrite told me that I could keep it, adding that it could suit no other than me. Though touched, I still felt horrible.

Finally, after about a year and a half or so of being in Delos and continuing my duties as a goddess in retreat, I decided to return to Mount Olympus to resume my position in the Olympic pantheon. Mother respected my decision, though it was clear that she was worried about how I would cope and wanted to help in any way she could. However, she voiced to me her desire to stay on Delos a little longer and I did not refuse her for I knew that was what she wanted.

The day Hermes came to collect me, she told me that I was forever welcome to come back anytime. And so, with a final embrace, I finally went back home.

The others were glad that I was back and I began to slowly act like I used to – like 'normal' – once again. I began to do things like joke around, laugh and even make good comebacks for remarks from Ares. I even began to run with retinue of nymphs again through the forests and sing and dance with them at night by the fire that we had made.

I continued to spend time with the others. I would be with Athena and Persephone and just play together, have drinks and chat with Hestia or be out with Hermes and Dionysus and get entertained by them.

Sometimes, I even spent some time with Aphrodite. Ever since what had happened, she seemed to try to get herself closer to me and kept me company. I could only guess that she was doing this because she felt responsible that it was love that got me into the whole mess. But I didn't mind, for I was touched that she had willingly spent time in my company. Most of the time, we would just spend some time in the beautiful places in the mortal realms that was hidden away by the eyes of a mortal.

Due to the both of us socializing even more with each, I even interacted even more with Ares as a result. Though he still made crude remarks and has made it so obvious so many times that he wanted to spend some 'alone' time with me and I would return a smart comeback and refuse him on the spot (I was already used to him being like that towards me at this point of my _long_ immortal life), we were nonetheless still quite civil with each other, though still not at the point of being friendly, which I don't think will ever happen. I even practiced his specialized war tactics with him once because I was simply bored.

Whenever I felt the need to, I would go to Delos and could spend up to a whole week with no one else's company except my mother's. She became an occasional hunting companion of mine while I would follow her to her temple and watch things progress if I am not busy with my duties to hunters and the wild.

Very soon, everybody concluded that I was fine now since I was being so 'normal'. They assumed that I had moved on with life and that I had forgotten about everything that happened in the past.

How so very wrong they were. In truth, I had never once stopped mourning.

Each night, without fail, I would always look up at the stars. Whether I was in my room, on top of a mountain or roaming around an empty plain, I would always stop to gaze at Orion. He was so very easy to find because the stars that made up his constellation were always the brightest among the rest and the shape was easily recognizable.

Somewhere around the third year, I began to worry that he would get lonely by himself, and I decided to ask for one request. I straightaway went to Zeus and told him of my request, and I was glad that he granted it without hesitation. That night, I smiled at the sight of Orion's hunting dog and loyal companion, Sirius, in the stars with him as the bright Dog Star.

Sometimes, I would talk to him. I would tell him about my day and how I felt, but in the end, it would always end up with me talking about how much I missed him and wished that he was still here with me. I think I must have cried every night as I told him that I was so very sorry for what I had done to him and that I still loved him with all my heart.

But it's so very bad when I go to sleep.

Some nights, when I had fallen under the sleeping spell of Hypnos, I would dream of Orion. But it was always the same three dreams.

The first dream I had was of me wearing the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. The entirety of the dress was pure white silk, consisting of a sleeveless fitting bodice with silver silk ribbons tied at the back and a very long and flowing skirt that had elegant stenciled gold patterns on all around and trailed behind in a long train. On my arms were thin platinum bands that had a shimmery length of silver gossamer cloth hanging from it and touching the floor. Adorning my head, with my long and wavy bistre hair styled into a elegant bun, I was wearing a silvery-white veil which fell to the middle of my thighs, held in place by my signature silver lunate diadem and around my neck was the familiar pearl necklace from Amphitrite and Poseidon.

All around me, I could see everyone on Mount Olympus, including _him_, cheering joyfully for me. I would smile at all of them until I caught sight of Orion, who would stand right across me in a space that had been created by the crowd. He was dressed in a long elegant white exomis that had trimmings of silvery-gold threads and on the crown of his head of slicked-back bronze hair was a simple silver band.

He had the most beautiful smile on his lips, which would break out into a grin as he extended his arms out for me. Without hesitation, I would run into his arms and hug him tightly around the neck, beaming with pure happiness. He would then lift me up and spin me around into a circle as we both laughed gleefully and basked in the joy that was radiated by the others.

The second dream was stranger. I would find myself with Orion, sitting next to him on the lip of the fountain in the palace garden. I did not know what we were doing, but he was holding my hand in his and smiling at me, and I couldn't help but smile back. I would then notice that he looked so different; his aura was more powerful and he looked more ethereal and beautiful than ever. I could only come to the conclusion that he had finally become a full-blooded god.

Suddenly, I would be distracted by someone calling out, "Mama! Mama!"

When I look in the direction of the voice, I would see a young girl, who looked to be the mortal age of four, running towards us with arms outstretched and a happy smile on her face. I did not know who she was, but my eyes would widen in shock when I noticed that she had long wavy hair the same color as mine and eyes as teal green as Orion's.

The girl finally stopped in front of us and beckoned to be lifted. Without hesitation, I would slide my hands under her underarms and lift her onto my lap with no difficulty due to her being lightweight. This close, I could see that she looked so much like me in so many ways, but her eyes mirrored Orion's exactly.

When I lifted my eyes from the young girl in my arms to him, he would give me the most breath-taking smile ever.

The third dream was the most simplest of all, but it was the most impactful.

Orion and I were back in his clearing on Crete, lying side-by-side with our hands entwined together. The clearing was just as how it was before. The waterfall and the small plunge pool was still there and the grass would be green and oh so very soft. I could feel the warmth of the sun's light on my face and the coolness of the fresh breeze. High above us, there would be the soft chirping of the birds.

We faced each other, our eyes locked and focused. We said nothing, and enjoyed the coolness of the breeze on our skin and the gentle sounds of the waterfall and the animals in the forests. He was still ever so good-looking and had the most sweetest and gentle smile on his masculine lips that would always manage to bring my own smile to my lips.

As I gazed at him, I would think of how much I loved him and how I was so lucky to have him. I also thanked the Fates that he would choose to be with me and love me the same way. As I thought of just that, I would feel even better in my heart.

And then, without any warning, Orion would suddenly whisper, "I love you so much…."

Each time I had any of those dreams, I would wake up in cold sweat and gasping for air. And then, I would start crying to myself at the thought that all of that was not real; that it could never be real no matter how much I wanted it to be.

I could never have the wedding I wanted with Orion, where everyone, including _him_, have been agreeable to the arrangement and seemed very happy for me. It would have been the way I wanted things to be in the first place, if _he_ had just accepted the idea.

I could never bear the daughter in my dreams or any other children by Orion. I could never have the chance to feel what it was like to be a mother and raise children of my own. I could never start a family of my own with the only man I loved. I could never hear the sweet voice of an innocent child that had been borne in my own womb call me 'Mama'.

And worst of all, I could never hear him say 'I love you' anymore.

But when I don't have those dreams, I would fall into a dreamless but fruitless sleep.

However, tonight I did not sleep. Because tonight was the eve of that fateful day.

I spent the entire night sitting on the sill of my window, gazing at the Orion in the dark starry night sky.

* * *

Hades sat quietly on his throne, looking very deep in thought. He had been sitting with his right elbow on the armrest and his hand supporting his head for the past half an hour; something Thanatos had been starting to notice. He had been like that even if there was a soul in the room for him to give sentence. His lack of movement began to worry his right-hand man.

"Lord Hades, what troubles your thoughts?" he asked with concern from his place from a step that was halfway up the dais, looking up at the thinking king on the throne.

Hades finally got out of his locked position and looked down to the side at Thanatos. "I was merely contemplating a decision, Thanatos," he replied in a quiet voice.

"And what decision may that be?" the deity of death inquired.

Hades did not answer right away. His fathomless black eyes gazed at the silver ring on the ring finger of his right hand – his wedding ring – for a while. But finally, he asked, "Do you remember what had happened today a long time ago?"

Thanatos became deep in thought for a while, trying to remember if anything did happen on that very certain day. But he couldn't come up with anything and answered, "No, my lord. I do not seem to recall anything."

Looking back at his minister, Hades revealed, "Today marks the fifth year of Orion's death."

Finally, Thanatos recalled. He could remember the incident very well, but seemed puzzled as to why the King of the Underworld would be so concerned with that.

"I see," he murmured under his breath, and carefully inquired, "Does your niece still mourn for him?"

Silently, Hades nodded his head in response. But then he murmured under his breath, "And for that, I wish to give something to her tonight."

* * *

Author's Note:

I am so upset... School is starting next week for me, and it's back to homework and all that jazz!

I want to have some fun with you guys. Read about that little girl in Artemis' dreams? Yeah, that would have been her daughter with Orion. But I just want to ask; what would you name her daughter, and what would she be the goddess of? For me, I think I would name her Cynthia (which is also an epithet of Artemis) and she would be the Goddess of Moonlight and Young Animals. Give me your answers in the review box! I really want to know!

So anyway, fast forward in time. What happens to Apollo and Artemis five years on. Oh dear, still not reconciled yet...

Will they ever reconcile? And what exactly does Hades have in mind?

Stay tune to find out!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	35. Chapter 34

**_On That Fateful Day_**

Right after I had set the moon, I rode my moonstone chariot in the route that had been made so very familiar to me from five years ago.

When Crete came into sight, I felt my heartbeat slow down as a rush of memories start to once again play in my mind. Everything around me was silent except for the sounds of the air all around me, the flapping of my steeds' wings and the sounds of the birds in flight.

I landed my chariot and horses at the exact same place on the beach where I usually did so very long ago. I got off and untied the reins of my horses, which were nickering and neighing at the familiarity of our surroundings. I ran a hand through their long and silky manes, thinking to myself of the fact that they did not know what had happened to him.

I took deep breaths and allowed them to roam in the shade while I ventured inside the forest. I was dressed in a long silk teal green one-shoulder dress with a bronze belt around my waist. My wavy dark hair was let loose with a simply bronze headband on the crown of my head. I was not equipped with my bow and arrows. For I was not my persona as the Huntress, the creatures came to me for I was now, at that moment, the Queen of the Beasts. I stopped to pet some of them, but it wasn't long before I was making my way once again.

The familiar cluster of trees came into view and I quietly walked through them. Around me, the air was quiet as well, the only sounds being the soft chirping of the birds and my soft footsteps. After a minute or so, I finally came to the familiar fruit trees. They were still adorned with colorful and sweet ripe fruits; I could almost taste its tart sweetness in the air.

But then, I finally came upon that familiar opening. I knew then that I was finally approaching, though there was not that something that indicate that I was, which would have been the sounds of a gentle waterfall falling into a plunge pool below it.

With a deep breath, I stepped out.

This was not the first time I had been here since the incident. I had come here for so many times that I had lost count. Each time I stepped out of the trees, I would always expect to see the beautiful small waterfall that sparkled in the light of day, to hear the sounds of the water rushing and falling and the cheerful chirping of the tiny birds that lived in the trees, and to smell the freshness of the air and the flora that surrounds it. But most especially, I always hoped to see the man who I loved inhabiting this very clearing.

But once again, when I stepped into the clearing that had once been his home, all I could see was a plain empty clearing with patches of grass that had various rubble of rock scattered all around.

No more was the waterfall that added beauty to the clearing.

No more was the peace and tranquility that I had gained from here.

And no more was the lover of mine that used to inhabit this clearing.

* * *

Leto sat on the bench on the cliff that overlooked her temple. Sitting beside her was Persephone, who had arrived just an hour prior for a visit. They had been chatting with each other for quite a while after embracing each other in welcome. But it wasn't long before the conversation took on more serious issues.

"How has Artemis been lately?" Persephone asked gently and carefully as she looked at a stalk of white lily flower she had grown from the ground just a while ago. "She still visits you here, does she?"

Leto silently nodded her head and replied, "She is well. But though she tries to be the person she was always known to be, I can see very clearly that she is still feeling hurt."

Persephone suddenly felt sad at the thought. "I've noticed it too, whenever I am on Mount Olympus. But at the same time, I can see that Apollo too suffers emotionally."

Leto let out a soft and sad sigh. "I worry for both of my children, dear Persephone. I still do love the both of them with all of my heart, but seeing them avoid each other still causes me much depression. Countless times I have cried at the thought that they would never reconcile."

Persephone then notice tears pooling in the Titaness' eyes and immediately grasped her hand gently. Leto gave her a half-hearted smile and silently wiped away the tears before speaking once again.

"A few years back, when it was just after the incident and Artemis had retreated here for sanctuary, I would always find her looking at the stars every night," Leto told Persephone quietly. "I can listen to her whispering things to Orion's constellation and hear her cry every time she speaks of what she had done. She would always degrade and insult herself for her actions and always worries that he would cease to love her since he would know that she was the cause of his end. I always wanted to tell her that it was not true – that Orion would always love her no matter what – but I myself am not sure."

But Persephone knew a good answer for that.

She twirled the stalk of the lily in between the pad of her thumb and index finger as she looked up at the bright blue sky. With a gentle tone, she said, "When I was in the Underworld last winter, I noticed Hades going to the Asphodel Plains one time. When I inquired, he told me that he was talking to Orion."

Leto looked at the Goddess of Spring then, feeling slightly intrigued that Persephone's husband, the great God-King of the Underworld, would actually come in contact with the love of her daughter's life. "He did?" she asked. When Persephone nodded, she inquired, "And how is Orion?"

Persephone looked back down at the lily in her hand as she spoke. "Hades always tells me that there is something in Orion that differentiates him from the rest of the souls who inhabit the Plains. While the rest are lifeless and their movements are mechanical, Orion stood out by looking so deep in thought and still moving as though there is life in his bones. Hades tells me that whenever he approaches him, he can see that in his teal green eyes, there is pain and sadness. When Orion talks to him, all he could speak of was Artemis."

Leto felt tears burning at the back of her eyes, feeling remorseful that even in death, pain still lingered in Orion's heart. But she was afraid that the cause of his pain was due to the fact that it was Artemis' arrow that had ended his life. She was afraid that he now despised her daughter for ending his life, albeit not intentionally. She was afraid that he daughter's fears would actually come true.

"What does Orion say about my daughter?" Leto asked quite anxiously.

Persephone's eyes turned sad when she met the eyes of the motherly Titaness. She exhaled a pitiful sigh before she answered.

"He says that he really misses her."

* * *

Now, I was on the Islet of Leon, doing nothing but roaming around the beach and gazing out at the beautiful blue-green sea. There was the cawing of seagulls high above in the blue sky, which was the only sound I could hear other than the crashing of waves upon the sand.

After a half hour or so of aimless walking on the white sandy beaches, I finally chanced upon that big rock, which still looked the same as before.

Without a single sound from me, I walked to it. I slipped out of my sandals at the point where the sea does not touch the sand and hitched the skirt of my dress up to my knees before walking into the warm waters. The closer I walked to the rock, the more I could smell the fresh salty scent of the sea. I breathed in the scents deeply and sighed at its exquisite aroma.

With no help, I climbed up to the top of the rock myself. It wasn't that difficult and I was finally on the top of the rock in a matter of seconds.

I stood and looked out into the distance, my dress and my hair billowing gently in the soft salty sea breeze. From here, the vastness of the ocean made it look as though it was infinite, with no end, and leading to mysterious faraway lands.

The more time I spent atop that rock, the more my mind delved back into memories stored deep within me, with some that had taken place on the very rock I stood upon. I remember memories of happy fun and new budding love, but also of ultimate betrayal and tragic endings.

As I recalled the man that I had loved but had lost and the other man that I had also loved but had betrayed my trust, the first of tears began to stream down my cheeks.

* * *

Hades remembered a time just a year back when he had sensed a disturbance somewhere in the Asphodel Plains. Something in there felt strange; it felt as though it belonged in the realm permanently, but it was not fully connected to it. Whatever it was – one of the souls, most probably – felt like it was only there physically but not spiritually.

As the King who held patronage over that realm, he immediately became alert and ventured into the Plains to investigate the cause of the disturbance.

It hadn't took him long to find out.

Sitting on a flat rock in a clearing hidden deep in a shadowy forest, was a man who was accompanied by his dog. The man was just like any other shade in the Plains; with bleak features – which included skin that was of a pale shade and hair that has turned dark and plain from lack of colorful life – and a quiet aura.

But something struck Hades and made him aware that this Shade was something different from the others. As he walked closer and got a clearer look of the Shade, he realized then that it was Orion.

Orion, who was staring blankly at his dog, Sirius, looked up just as Hades reached his side.

Hades was so intrigued in the fact that though Orion was referred to as a giant, he looked exactly like a mortal, interlaced with the divine beauty he gained from his godly parentage. The demigod looked the same since the moment of his death; eternally young, handsome and strong. But what struck him as different was that there was still plenty of teal green color in his eyes, making it one feature of his that made him still look alive. Other than that, it was the fact that he looked absolutely saddened and depressed, and also looking so very at loss.

This was the first time Hades came into direct contact with the demigod ever since his death three years ago. Other than that, Hades had, at times, received reports from Thanatos that Orion's soul was supposedly quite stubborn and seemingly refused to fully connect to the Plains. Hades hadn't paid any mind to it, thinking that it would only be temporary. This moment changed all those opinions.

"Why do you look so sad, Orion of Boeotia?" Hades asked, interlacing the demigod's name with his place of birth.

Orion got off the rock and knelt in respect for the King. With his head hung low, he answered, "I have been saddened for as long as I had been in this realm, King Hades. Since the beginning of my time here up to this very minute, I have never stopped feeling sadness, which is the only thing that occupies my empty heart."

Curiosity overwhelmed Hades in an instant. This was the first time in his long reign over the Underworld when he had heard of a soul of the Asphodel Plains feel and show emotion, even speaking of it as he was actually feeling it. Usually, the shades would be completely devoid of any emotion and be completely lifeless, but Orion became the very first exception.

Naturally, Hades wanted to know why. "And what is the reason for the sadness in your heart?" he asked.

Orion became silent and kept his head low, not looking up even when Sirius appeared by his side quietly and sat down next to him.

Suddenly, Hades heard a certain sound and it didn't take him long to realize that Orion was actually _crying_.

The demigod looked up and indeed there were tears in his eyes with some streaming down his cheeks. Now, he looked even more depressed and even completely heartbroken, but at the same time he looked so much _alive_. Beside him, Sirius whimpered and nuzzled his snout into his master's neck, as though trying to give him comfort.

"I am sad for I have lost my beloved Artemis and I weep for her," he finally revealed through a voice choked with tears. "I miss her so badly. Though I know my heart does not and no longer beats, the pain of losing her and the love I feel for her still continues to torment me. At the same time, I could almost feel her pain. I can still feel as though I am connected to her, but I have no way to reach her. I feel that I am so very close to her, yet still so very far away."

And it was then Hades finally realized why Orion's soul was unable to fuse with the Plains. It was his strong love for Artemis that was still holding in the very last shred of life in him.

Since that day, Hades would occasionally make a visit to his niece's deceased lover. In each visit, Orion would constantly ask him how was Artemis, and Hades would answer his question the best he could. Sometimes, Hades noticed that Orion would smile if he heard him speak of Artemis in earnest, but there would always still be a hint of sadness in those teal green eyes of his.

And it was not until this morning that Hades realized that the day he had seen Orion for the first time in the Plains was actually the third anniversary of his death.

* * *

Finally, my time of wandering around familiar routes and places must come to an end, for the sky was turning a dull orange and the sun was going down slowly. I must perform my responsibilities as the patroness of the moon and bring forth the silver celestial orb that lights the world in the time of darkness and the beautiful night sky that follows in its wake.

But after I had prepared my chariot and before I left, I stood at a certain spot on the beach of Crete, where I knew it to be the very last place I had held my lover in my arms, after the God of Death had whisked his soul away to the Underworld to reside forever as a shade in the Asphodel Plains and before my father came to collect me and Orion to put him among the stars.

The tears continue to flow slowly and my heart ached as memories of this very day from five years ago played repetitively through my mind, tormenting me of pleasant memories that I could never regain and terrible thoughts that would haunt me seemingly throughout eternity.

As the last of the waves washed around my bare feet, wetting the hem of my dress slightly, and as I gazed at the ocean that was turning darker as day was disappearing, I whispered through tears, "I am so sorry…"

And after that, I finally left, waiting for the same day next year where I would do my wandering in that vicinity once again, as I had done for the past four years.

* * *

The doors to the throne room opened slowly. From his ebony and gold throne, Hades looked up from the scroll he was reading to the two new faces in the room.

One was quite a familiar face here in the palace. Hermes walked in with an air of seriousness. He always did whenever Zeus sent him here to the Underworld for important business. Only this time, he had been summoned personally by Hades, and he did not know why. He especially did not know why this time, he had to bring a guest with him.

The god who walked beside him had cerulean hair that flowed gracefully to his shoulders. His violet-blue eyes were very enchanting and had the power to cause any mind to imagine things that made the impossible seem possible in sleep. But right now, his eyes showed that he was frightened. No doubt because he was in the Underworld, the realm of the dead.

Despite not seeing him for a long time, Thanatos, who was standing in attendance at the side of the bottom of the dais, could very well know the guest as Morpheus; the God of Dreams and his nephew.

When Hermes and Morpheus stopped right in front of the bottom of the dais steps, they both bowed in respect to Hades, remembering very well that he was the King of the Underworld. Morpheus kept silent, trying very hard to control his anxiety, while Hermes spoke.

"Lord Hades. You summoned for the both of us?"

Hades did not say anything. Instead, he made the scroll in his hands disappear into thin air and got up from his throne. Thanatos watched in silence as his lord walked down the dais steps and then stood in front of the two gods who were bowing before him. Hermes straightened up first and Morpheus followed suit.

Putting his hands behind his back and clearing his throat, Hades asked, "You two have no knowledge of why I had summoned you?"

Hermes shook his head in response. "No, Lord Hades."

Hades nodded his head and looked down at the floor briefly before he set his pitch black eyes upon Morpheus. The God of Dreams could feel his heart skip a beat.

Turning his body to completely face Morpheus, Hades said, "I actually needed only Morpheus, for I have a task for him and it requires his powers of dreams."

Morpheus' eyes widened, unknown whether from fear or shock. He cleared his throat loudly and asked in his best brave voice, "And what is the task, Lord Hades?'

Looking right at the god's violet-blue eyes, Hades asked, "Do you recall of what had happened to Artemis five years before?"

Hermes' eyebrows immediately furrowed in confusion. He did not understand. What task did Hades have for Morpheus that involved the _incident_?

In an instant, Hermes completely recalled the tragedy that Artemis had faced exactly five years ago; the death of Orion – her hunting companion, her beloved and the one who could have been her husband. All accidentally accomplished at her hands because of Apollo's jealous trickery and deception.

Oh, how it had been the talk of the entire palace back then. Any part of the palace that Hermes walked or flew into, he could hear traces of gossip about Orion's death. Deities would speak about how they were completely pitiful of the completely heartbroken Artemis, about how they could not believe that she had been willing to give up being a virgin goddess for the giant or about how it served her right because she was being selfish for forgetting about Apollo.

Anytime Hermes heard gossipers of the last statement, he never once hesitated to lash out at them venomously. He wasn't the only one to do it. He, like many others, defended Artemis strongly because he did not believe that she was being selfish. Those ignorant fools did not know about how she had always been a thoughtful sister to Apollo and did her best to not upset him. They knew about how she would always forgive him for his mistakes and always be patient with him. It was a terrible shame that he wasn't able to do the same. If only Apollo had not let his jealousy get to him and indirectly kill the one other man who could give her happiness. She would have never broke, and her love for her brother would never have tarnished greatly.

Morpheus too looked confused at why Hades was bringing that long-forgotten topic up, but he answered swiftly, "Yes, Lord Hades, I do."

Hades nodded, but then noticed the confusion on both Hermes and Morpheus' face. He knew why they were confused, and he simply said, "I wish to give her compensation."

In truth, Hades was doing this deed because he felt absolutely sorry for his dear niece. He knew exactly what it felt like to lose a mostly beloved. In his case, it would be his darling Persephone, who would leave him for six months to be with her mother in the above world. The loneliness he felt for those six months never failed to take a toll on him, making him yearn for his wife to return to his side. But at least he got an upside from this by having her back with him in his kingdom for six months in return.

However, Artemis had it worst. She lost the one she had fallen in love with instantaneously and without a chance to ever have him back. She was doomed to mourn forever from the loss of her beloved. She could never see her Orion ever again.

Hades remembered the day she came to the Underworld very clearly. He remembered how she stood before him to appeal to him to release Orion's soul from the Asphodel Plains or to at least allow her to enter the realm so that she could see him for herself. He remembered how he had denied it, not because he wanted to, but because it just could not be done. He remembered how she had gone down on her knees, how she had banged the palms of her hands on the hard floor of the throne room and how she had cried pleadingly.

Unfortunately, Hades could not grant her what she begged for. It was not right to return a deceased soul back to the land of the living or for an Upperworld goddess to enter one of the realms of the dead.

But he wished he could. The sight of how desperate sh was and willing to do anything to get back Orion had actually touched Hades' heart. He never knew that the Hunting Goddess would actually _feel_ for another. Orion must have indeed taken time and effort to find himself a very special place in her immortal heart.

Five years had passed now. Though she had ceased her crying long ago, Hades could still sense sadness coming from her soul. Anytime he was ever on Mount Olympus, he could see it clearly. She could be drinking or talking, playing or listening, smiling or laughing, and he could still see the sadness underneath her façade.

He wanted to give her what she truly yearned for.

"I wish for her to dream of her Orion," he said seriously. "I want his spirit to visit her in her sleep. I want you to make it happen. Can you make it happen?"

Both Hermes and Morpheus' eyes widened to the size of small saucers. Morpheus' mouth too had gaped open slightly.

Was Lord Hades joking? Sending a spirit that has been in the Underworld for already five years to be out and into the dreams of a goddess? That was completely unheard of, and nobody knew whether or not it was possible.

Morpheus had half a mind to say that he was unsure of performing such a feat. But Hades' straight face looked so intimidating that he had a feeling that uncertainty or refusal was not even an option.

Thankfully, Hermes managed to help him out by asking, "Lord Hades, are you sure that what you wish to do is correct? Let us not forget that this is Artemis we are talking about. Sending Orion's spirit into her dreams could possibly trigger a risk of causing another emotional breakdown for her."

Hades sighed and slid his eyes shut. Yes, he did worry that this task would bring dire consequences and undesired results. But he only hoped that Artemis would not be too caught up in the moment and make good use of the opportunity. He too hoped that Orion's spirit might be able to alleviate her sadness and give her hope for the future.

Finally, Hades opened his eyes and nodded his head. "I only wish for Artemis to see him properly one last time. I have trust in her that she would handle it well."

Hermes studied Hades' pitch black eyes and was silently taken aback by the sincerity in them. Hades wasn't an evil god. That was known. But it was still quite unexpected for the serious king who usually stayed out of the businesses of other to actually want to do such a thing.

Morpheus, who was silent throughout, had also been taking the request into deep consideration. To be honest, he knew that the feat was not impossible, just difficult. It would require him a lot of his skills to execute it.

But he was drawn to accept Hades' request at the thought of the goddess. Ever since the death of her beloved, Morpheus could sense the pain and agony in her dreams – and nightmares – and was initially very disturbed by it. He didn't even think that an almighty deity such as herself could suffer from such. And when she stopped her loud mourning and suffered from the pain in silence, she would stop dreaming altogether.

"I accept," Morpheus finally answered. _Just so that the poor girl could sleep well again…_ he thought.

Hermes looked at him in shock. The God of Dreams who, only a while ago, had to be coaxed into coming to the Underworld now looked like he was ready to take on anything. Morpheus' violet-blue eyes met Hermes' spring green ones and, with a smirk, he nodded his head.

Something inside Hermes was telling him that what Morpheus had just agreed to might actually bring out something good. With no objections, Hermes nodded back.

Hades said nothing, but a corner of his lips lifted up slightly. But his lips then returned into a straight line as he turned his head and called for Thanatos.

Thanatos silently walked towards the three of them. Morpheus met the ash-colored eyes of his uncle and smiled in greeting. Thanatos returned the gesture, though his smile was very small. Such an affectionate gesture wouldn't really fit the solemn expression of the God of Death.

When he came to a stand beside Hades, he raised a fist to Morpheus and Hermes. The both of them looked at him in confusion, and Thanatos looked at Hades for affirmation. The king nodded his head once, and when the command was given, Thanatos unclenched his hand.

Floating just right above his palm was a butterfly. But this was unlike any other ordinary butterfly. This butterfly was translucent but it radiated a strong white glow that shone slightly on the faces of the four gods around it.

Morpheus gazed at the mystical creature as though it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It seemed to have come from a dream, since such beauty couldn't have honestly existed on its own.

With wide eyes, Hermes murmured, "Lord Hades… Is that…."

"The soul of Orion? Yes," Hades replied, his black eyes fixed on the butterfly. It emitted white light for it was a soul of the Asphodel Plains. Those who were sent to the Elysian Fields were vibrant gold in color. while those who were sent to Tartarus were black with charred wings.

Thanatos' brought his hand closer to Morpheus, and the butterfly that symbolized Orion's soul suddenly fluttered towards the God of Dreams. Almost instinctively, Morpheus extended his own hand and the butterfly flew towards it, fluttering in place just above his palm.

"I trust that you have the power to send him into Artemis' dreams tonight," Hades instructed. "And when the deed is done, Thanatos will come to collect him."

Morpheus nodded with his violet-blue eyes still glued to the butterfly. He was mesmerized by its ethereal appearance and was amazed when in actuality, it was the soul of a deceased demigod.

"Now return to Mount Olympus and send Orion to the sleeping Artemis," Hades instructed, but then said in a serious tone, "But I advise the both of you to keep this to yourselves. No one else must know that I have allowed a soul to be out of the Underworld. Swear upon the river Styx that you will tell none."

Morpheus and Hermes swore, showing no trace of lies on their faces. Hades nodded in confirmation and told them once again to take leave.

Morpheus and Hermes bowed to him before walking away at the same time, leaving the throne room together.

As he looked on at the departing gods, Thanatos asked, "Do you think that what you are doing will help your niece, Lord Hades?"

With his hands behind his back and his eyes focused on the black floor, Hades replied, "I think I do."

* * *

Author's Note:

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!

Seriously, I can't believe that I have been a fanfiction author for so long. Since March, in fact! So I've been on this site for 9 months and have released 19 stories that were thankfully loved by many of you! So with the coming of the new year, I would like to thank you all for liking my works and giving me your support. It really does mean a lot to me. Now, let us see what new ideas are in store for me with the new year? :)

Anyway, I would like to thank those who wrote of their opinion's on Artemis and Orion's would-have-been daughter. Really great idea, you guys! I even liked your own details about her!

And I know that Morpheus was sometimes said to be the son of Nyx and Erebus (or by Nyx alone), but I decided to go with the so-called arguably correct version (?) where Morpheus was the son of Hypnos, God of Sleep, and the nephew of Thanatos.

Thumbs up to those who understood the significance of Artemis' dress and accessories in the first scene. And now we know what Hades has in mind! But can it be done? And what would happen to Artemis? And what of Apollo?

Find out on Friday!

And by the way, I wish all of you luck and great things for the new year! :)

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	36. Chapter 35

**_Wistful Night_**

Apollo stood on the balcony of one of the palace lounges, looking out at the beautiful dark night sky that was adorned with many diamond-like stars and the majestic silver-white celestial orb that glowed with such beauty. But of course, his eyes were once again fixed on that certain constellation.

He knew what day it was today. How could he not? What had happened five years ago on this very day would always continue to haunt him no matter how hard he tried to forget about it and no matter how hard he tried to run away from it. Such bitter memories were always the most difficult to forget about and the most easiest to be tormented by.

As he gazed at the constellation, easily making out the human-like shape in his mind, he began to recall how the hunter had looked like. Even until now, he still remembered the perfectly cut and handsome features of the demigod's face and body, the shade of teal green that colored his eyes and the short and messy shimmery bronze locks that adorned his head. He even recalled the creases on his face that showed just how often he smiled and laughed.

Apollo remembered how the very thought of Orion's face used to make him immediately feel jealous and threatened the last time. But now, all he could think about was how much the giant hunter used to smile and how he always seemed to look as though life was giving him no troubles back then, especially when he was in the presence of Artemis.

At the sudden thought of Artemis, he felt his heart skip a beat. Each time Artemis came into mind, he would always remember his sister's beautiful face; with her long and wavy bistre hair and her dark midnight blue eyes that contrasted with his own short and wavy golden hair and his bright sky blue eyes.

Some may ask why exactly he would remember his sister like that although she was still around. In truth, he did this because although Artemis was near him, she was still so very far away.

These five years had been so difficult for him. Although to most gods, five years would seem like an extremely short time due their long, immortal lifespans. But to Apollo, it seemed like eternity without his sister's affections for him. He was not afraid to admit that he missed her so very dearly. How could he not? His sister had and would always be a permanent part of his life and be one of the most important of his loves.

How he longed for the day Artemis would finally find it in her heart to forgive him for his cruelty. If not forgive, then at least give him another chance to prove himself worthy of her affections once again. He was already at the point where he wouldn't mind if she didn't fully forgive him or give him her full love once again. The least he wanted was for her to talk to him again and maybe even spend time with him as they always had the last time.

But Apollo knew that no matter how much he wanted it, he couldn't force her to simply forgive him for what he had done to her lover. Artemis was known to be so very cold and very unforgiving if the situation demanded for it. And it did right now. Besides, why would he expect her forgiveness so soon? He was completely in the wrong and must face the consequences of his actions, no matter how harsh the punishment would be. He could not bargain for a lighter punishment and he could not beg for her forgiveness. He was so pathetic to the point where it seemed that he naturally had absolutely no right to beg for Artemis' forgiveness. Her forgiveness would come from her own self, without persuasion or encouragement or pleads from another, including himself.

But no matter how very slim and almost non-existent the chances were, Apollo did not have the heart to give up hope that she would one day be willing to reunite with him. If she was willing to give him that honor, than he would promise and swear upon the river Styx and his own immortal life that he would never do anything to hurt her again and may he be damned eternally if he broke that promise.

He did not know how long he had been standing there, gazing out at the night sky and being so deep in thought, but a voice greeting him got him out of his long train of thoughts.

"Wonderful night, isn't it, Apollo?"

Apollo turned to see Hermes entering the lounge. He noticed his younger half-brother had on his golden headband with white wings and his golden sandals with white wings on each, and also noticed how wind-blown his pale blonde hair was. Immediately, Apollo knew that Hermes must have returned from somewhere on duties, but he did not inquire of it.

Apollo sighed and nodded his head. "It is," he agreed, though in a voice that clearly showed he was wallowing in sadness.

Hermes came to stand beside him and planted the palms of his hands on the smooth white marble balustrade as he leaned forward slightly. The both of them did not say to each other immediately, just standing there in companionable silence as they both gazed out at the starry night sky. But it wasn't long until Apollo finally asked Hermes a very crucial question.

"How is she?" he suddenly asked quietly. Hermes did not ask who 'she' was.

"She's quiet," he answered his older half-brother honestly. "And looks so deep in thought. But she didn't look sad. Just… neutral. But then again, we'd never know what she was truly feeling. She is very well-known for keeping a façade that could mask her true feelings."

Hermes kept his eyes on the constellation of Orion when Apollo let out a low, sad sigh.

It was about a minute later when Apollo spoke once again, this time in a much quieter, sadder and pained voice.

"She's never going to forgive me, is she?"

Hermes did not immediately reply to his question. He just quietly looked away from the sky and down at his hands on the balustrade. Apollo could not determine whether he was simply thinking about the question or if it was his way of showing that he really did not want to think about his problems with Artemis.

Apollo immediately became embarrassed for asking such a question and looked away back to the night sky. He told himself then that he shouldn't ask others of questions regarding his sister for the sake of not having them feel as though they are dragged into this. He knew it irked and disturbed some that he and his sister had not communicated for five years straight, and he knew that they were all hoping that the tension between them could just disappear and things for the both of them and the rest would go back to normal.

_Oh, how I wish it was…._ Apollo thought sadly to himself.

Suddenly, he was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder. The Sun God looked at the hand for a briefly before looking at his half-brother's reassuring spring green eyes and the small smile of encouragement on his lips.

Calm and quietly, Hermes finally replied, "Have faith that she will, Apollo."

And with that, Hermes finally left the balcony.

Apollo went back to gazing at Orion's constellation once again as he hoped in his heart that what Hermes said would be true.

* * *

The night was dark and enchanting with the light of the stars glowing all around the skies brightly, interlaced with the silver-white light of my moon.

I had shed my dress of teal green silk and my bronze accessories and now wore a simple knee-length nightdress of sky blue silk. I was just about ready to go to bed, but I couldn't do it unless I had talked to him first.

Following by my routine, I proceed to sit on the large sill of my window after I had made myself up for bed. I sat with my knees drawn to my chest and my chin resting on my knees, my eyes looking at the night sky, searching for him. It hadn't taken me long; he was right in front of me. The stars of his constellation were the brightest and the most beautiful and the structure was so defined I could almost make out the invisible lines that held them together.

"Hello, Orion," I greeted him with a small smile. "How are you? Do you feel well in the Asphodel Plains?"

There was no answer except for the sounds of the billowing air in the space between me and the sky. I did not react differently and continued to speak.

"Today, I went back to your old clearing. It's just like I've always remembered; calm, quiet and isolated. Just the perfect place for someone like me to rest and relax. But I found that I can't seem to ever relax there. How could I? Something was missing from that dear clearing. Something important. Do you know what that is, Orion?"

I knew, and I wasn't even referring to the waterfall.

I took a deep breath and continued on. "And then, I went to Leon. I walked the beaches and looked out at the beautiful sea that always seemed to go on forever. You always loved beaches and the sea, don't you? I do remember how you always loved to tell me about the feel of the smooth sand in between your toes as you strolled and the feeling of calmness you get when you're swimming in the seas of your father. But other than that, I went to that rock where you took me on the day you set the picnic up for me. I remember how you talked fondly of your loyal Sirius and how you were glad that you had someone like me. And then, I remembered that it was also the place you nearly kissed me for the first time. But…"

I paused suddenly, just at the moment where good memories were taken over by bad ones. But I did not dare allow my mind to fully recall the haunting images of me on that rock with my bow and arrow in hand, ready to take aim at my target in the sea, with my _brother _standing close behind me, watching me with intensity.

And just like that, the first of the tears streamed down my cheeks. It came very unexpectedly, which was unusual for me. Usually, I would feel the effects of an emotional breakdown – which included a strangling feeling in my throat, the back of my eyes burning with the fresh load of tears and my voice seemingly gone from me – before the tears fell. But I guess that I did not want to wait to start to go through yet another breakdown.

"Do you know what day it is today, Orion?" I forced myself to say through tears. "It's the day of your death… The day that I had killed you…. I loathe this day so much because this is the very day that because of my stupid and impulsive actions, it had cost you your life…. No more chances of breathing…. No more chances of seeing the beauty of Mother Earth…. And no chance of us ever being married, bond to each other through mind, body and soul…."

The tears increased and they were clouding my vision. I wiped it away with the back of my hand and I could immediately feel the heat of my tears on my cool skin. Some of the drops that remained on my cheeks made its way to the corners of my lips, allowing me to taste its bitter saltiness.

In a spur of moments, I placed both hands atop my heart and immediately felt a warm glow emanating from it. In a few seconds, I felt something materializing out of my breast and into my hand. I waited a while for the item to be solid. When it did, I finally looked down at the stone blade dagger that had my name engraved onto the wooden hilt.

Persephone had taught me to do that. She always used to show me how she kept her love letters from Hades in her heart because it felt dear to her. After Orion's death, she had come to me and asked me if I had something from him that I held dear. Immediately, I showed her the dagger, thinking it as dear because it was the very first gift from him to me. She patiently taught me to store it in my heart so that it would act like a part of him that would always remain with me forever.

I clutched the hilt of the dagger tight in my hands and held it to my chest, continuing to cry as I gazed at the constellation.

To be honest, I had very absurd thoughts the last time whenever I held the dagger. I always thought that with one quick plunge of the blade into my heart, I could let the life in the golden ichor that flowed in my veins seep away from my body and slowly granting me eternal sleep. Maybe, just maybe, I could have a chance to be with Orion once again in the Underworld.

And I have tried, in fact. Just not directly at the heart. I have plunged the blade into my arm, the small of my back and even into my stomach, each time hoping that I could finally be visited by Thanatos himself and allow him to take me to the Underworld. But it was impossible. The blade was entirely _mortal_, and it was absolutely not lethal to me. The blade was able to go through my skin, but the minute I pulled out, I would heal immediately with not even a scratch left.

But I stopped immediately, thinking to myself about how stupid and rash I was acting. How could I kill myself? Me? A goddess? It was absolutely impossible! Only a being of a higher status than me would have the ultimate power to dispose of me immediately.

And if I were gone, what would happened to the mortals who I have blessed with good hunt, the beauties that nature itself provided, my protection to the young girls who have yet to come of age and the promise of painless and easy birthing of new life by new mothers? If I were to be gone, the hunt and its children was sure to perish, the animals would be left without its Queen and protector, the wildlands would lose a caretaker, the young maidens are defenseless without their guardian and a young mother would not survive carrying her child to full term, maybe even suffering from the risk of losing it or even herself during labour.

Not only to the mortals I bestow my gits to, but what of the others? How could I have been cruel and selfish as to leave them out? What would have happened if I were gone? They would be left without a goddess who would care for the Hunt and the Wild. Who else could manage that other than me? And not only thinking duty-wise, but family-wise as well. How were they going to deal with me not being around anymore? What would they feel if I was gone for good; my close family members and friends, my beloved and precious mother, and my brot-

_No! Stop that right now, Artemis! Don't think so foolishly! Stop it! Stop it!_

In a flash, I threw open my eyes, which I hadn't realized were close until now, and gasped for air. Instantly, I saw Orion's stars twinkling. For a moment there, I thought that something had changed. That somehow, he had sensed my distress and was trying so hard to speak to me through his stars. Maybe he wanted to reach out to me, maybe to tell me things that would make me feel better. Or maybe he wanted to tell me how much he hated me, because I was the one who had caused his demise. Even if I did not hope for the latter, I still hoped that he was trying to reach me through the stars.

But who was I kidding? No matter how much I wished for that, I would immediately face the harsh truth that he was still in the Underworld, roaming as a shade in the Asphodel Plains. No chance of seeing life again. No chance of seeing beauty again. No chance of seeing me again.

With a heavy and saddened sigh, I placed the dagger flat against my right breast and shut my eyes in concentration. As I felt my power flow through the palm of my hands, going through the dagger, and into my heart, I could feel the beloved gift of mine seeping back into me. The sensation was tingling, but at the same time very comforting. The feeling of having Orion near me was there once again; though small, it was still better than nothing.

When there was nothing in between my hands and my chest except for the silk of my nightdress, I opened my eyes again to see that Orion's stars had dimmed their twinkling a bit. I allowed my eyes to follow the structure of his constellation; I took note of the way the stars that formed his head were tilted upwards to make it look as though he was looking up at the moon, of the formation of stars that formed his club in his left hand, and what could be a shield, a bow or an animal hide being grasped high up in his right hand.

Forever in the Hunt, I always took note. Though born of immortal water origins and of mortal royal blood, he chose to devote his life entirely to the Hunt that I was the Queen of. He devoted his days to being in the wildlands, hunting down animals when needed but yet giving them the respect they deserve. The love of hunting would forever course through his blood.

He was a son of the Hunt who could have been its King, ruling by my side. But that possibility was gone. However, the possibility of him never being a part of the Hunt anymore was not. So thus, he would forever be a Hunter, even in his new form in the stars high above the grounds of the wildlands.

When enough was enough for me, I finally whispered the four sacred words to him as I always had.

"I love you forever."

I did not stop there.

"Even if you are not with me in body, you are still with me in my heart. My love for you would never cease and I could only hope that your love for me would still be existent. If I had a chance, I would want to be with you forever. But I know that cannot be possible, no matter how much I want it to be. Since the day you drew your last breath, I finally swear to myself to never fall in love with any other man again. No one else could be as important to me as you were. You were the first man I fell in love with, and you shall be the only man. I would have shared my body with yours if in return you shared yours with me. But now, no one else but I can have it. No one, Orion."

Finally, I got off my window sill and slipped under my silk sheets, curling up into a loose fetal position and waiting patiently for sleep to take over me.

* * *

Ever since Hades had given the butterfly to Morpheus, Hermes had been busy wondering to himself of the outcomes that may be accomplished from this.

Artemis would get to see Orion again; that was sure to be counted as a good thing. But how she would react and act after the whole encounter was over was the main question. Would it be good or bad?

Hermes did not dare ponder about the worst that could come out from this. But instead, he thought to himself of the good possible outcomes. Many things could happen. Maybe, just maybe, Artemis might be able to finally overcome the sadness that plagued her for five whole years and give her the strength to carry on. And maybe, just maybe, she could find the heart and strength to give her younger twin brother another chance.

Hermes could only hope that it would happen. But as of now, he was watching Morpheus prepare for the big step of the plan.

Dreams were always associated with Sleep, since Morpheus, the God of Dreams, was the son of Hypnos, the God of Sleep. And one of the most well-known symbolization of sleep was the Sands of Sleep, which Hypnos had an unlimited supply of. It was used by being directed into the eyes of an individual and that said individual would immediately fall into sleep.

Being associated with sleep, Morpheus had his own specialized sort of sands. The sands he owned were the Sands of Dreams and, like the Sands of Sleep, had to be directed into the eyes of an individual, on the condition that the said individual must be asleep first before it could be used.

As he leaned against the wall, keeping a lookout for anyone who would suddenly appear, Morpheus was standing right in front of Artemis' room door, one hand holding a small silk burlap sack of dream sand while the other hand had the soul butterfly of Orion resting on his index finger.

Morpheus gestured the glowing white butterfly to be off of his finger. The butterfly obeyed but continued to flutter in front of the god's face. Swiftly, Morpheus untied the laces of the burlap sack and poured a small amount of sand onto the palm of his right hand. The sand was of a shimmering cerulean blue color, like the hair color of the god using it, and nearly looked like small crystals. But despite its crystal-looking appearance, it actually had the texture of soft silk to Morpheus' skin.

He quickly placed the sack in the sash of his peplos and then grasped the fluttering butterfly with both hands. Hermes' eyes widened at the sight of what he was doing, followed by his eyebrows being pulled together as he watched Morpheus rubbing his hands together. But he did not stop him, knowing very well that he knew what he was doing.

Finally, Morpheus unfolded his hands and Hermes realized that the butterfly was nowhere in sight. The only thing in Morpheus' hands was the shimmering pile of dream sand.

"Where did it go?" he questioned curiously, keeping the volume of his voice at a minimum.

Morpheus looked at him with a confident smile and replied, "He's been infused with the sand. That way, he can easily enter Artemis' mind."

Suddenly, Morpheus became silent and slid his eyes shut. Hermes knew this was it and threw a look to the other side to see if anyone was coming. Seeing that no one was, he looked back at Morpheus, intent on watching what would happen next. In a flash, Morpheus suddenly blew the sand away from his hands and it disappeared into the air instantly once it was airborne. Hermes became so confused and curious at the same time. What had happened? Where did the sand go? Did it even work?

But before he could question, Morpheus walked over to him and said, "Come on. Let us leave before anyone catches us."

As much as he wanted to, Hermes did not ask the question. He did not because he had a very sure feeling that what Morpheus had intended had worked and everything was all under control now.

_Now all we have to do is wait…._ Hermes thought to himself as he walked away from the scene with Morpheus.

* * *

_An invisible gust of sand floats through the air like wisps of fog, sparkling and shimmering its promises of dreams. Deep within the wisps of enchanting dream sands lay the butterfly which was the soul of a man who was waiting to return to his dearly beloved._

_It slipped through the heavy golden doors easily and flew in the direction of the large bed ahead, where a beautiful sleeping goddess lay in a dreamless deep sleep._

_Finally, the foggy wisps of sand find their way to the goddess' soft closed eyelids and rested upon them, gently seeping into her skin, giving her the dreams of which the magical sands possessed. _

_Especially dreams of the man that her heart yearned for so long._

* * *

Author's Note:

I was about 5% close to not completing this chapter. School started once again and was slowly sucking the life out of me to the point where I would fall into 5 hour naps once I got home. But no worries! I got it done just in time!

One thing I'd like to explain was that I know Hypnos and Morpheus were not said in mythology to use magical sands. But since I assume that many of us are familiar with the concept of the Sandman who uses his magic sands to cause people to fall asleep, why not let Hypnos have this power? And Morpheus too since dreams are associated with sleep? And besides, I found the idea of them using sands to be quite pretty to be honest.

Just one thing I'd like to add; when I wrote Artemis' scene, I was listening to California King Bed by Rihanna. I found the song to fit the exact mood of the scene. The song is kind of about yearning and Artemis is really yearning... PERFECT! And for Apollo's scene where he thinks that Artemis would never forgive him and is afraid of that, I listened to the song Not Meant To Be by Theory of A Deadman. The song is about a guy who wants a girl back but he knows that he can never be forgiven because of a stupid mistake he did but can't stop thinking that maybe there's a chance left... PERFECT AGAIN! I think listening to the songs while reading would increase impact, don't you think?

And one thing I've realized and thought I should mention to **_Shadow__ Huntress_**. I just realized that I have went past the number of chapters of _Who I Am_! YAY! Thus, _Promises _becomes my longest Artemis fanfiction and maybe even the most popular!

Before I leave, I just want to announce to you guys that I have just recently created a Tumblr for my writings. There's not many stuff right now, since I just created it a few days back, but if you could maybe check it out? And to those who have a Tumblr, a follow would be appreciated :) The URL is on my profile page for those who'd like to know!

So, with the end of this _long _author's note, see you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	37. Chapter 36

_**A Heartfelt Reunion**_

A flash of vibrant colors were what I first saw among the vast fathomless darkness. It was so bright and colorful to the point where it was so blinding. Instinctively, I wanted to place a hand over my eyes and shield it away from the blinding blast of bright and bold colors. But to my shock, I realize that I couldn't.

_What? What the…? What's going on?_

Suddenly, it was then I realized that I couldn't feel any part of me at all. I couldn't feel my arms, my legs or my torso. I couldn't even feel my lips and my nose on my face. And though I could very well see the blinding array of colors in front of me, I could not feel my eyes either.

_What is this?! What's happening to me?!_

I tried desperately to turn my eyes away from the hurting flash of colors, but for some reason, it remained fixed, no matter how much I commanded it to look away. At this point, I had become so convinced that I must not be seeing this normally, as though I was some in some strange state of mind to not have the power to even turn away.

I began to feel fright and anxiety racing through my rapidly-beating heart, but at the same time I became alert and ready for anything that was to come. I thought of the worst possible scenarios that could happen; being attacked by some beast, hearing a loud and booming voice that came from nowhere, feeling a strong disturbance that hid in the pitch black darkness, etc…

But I had not expected the colors to suddenly blare as one single sharp and bright white light and engulf me whole, taking me away from the darkness with a pulling force. I think I must have screamed at the feel of my body being sucked into a bright and unknown abyss, though I wasn't sure that I had even made a sound. But I did not worry about that, because my thoughts were full of where the strange light was taking me away to. In fact, I kind of did not want to know, so I shut my eyes and waited until it was over.

I do not know how long I have had my eyes shut, but it felt like a few long hours though it could be seconds for all I know. I didn't dare even open my eyes a little bit to see what was going on. I could feel the force of the white light slightly tugging at me, which was also why I didn't open my eyes for fear that something might happen.

True to my word, something did.

All of a sudden, I no longer felt the small tugging feelings and I could feel my feet – or what I hoped were my feet – touching ground that felt soft. I could feel my hair billowing slightly and wind travelling gently through my fingertips. I could even hear nothing but the soft blowing of the breeze.

The atmosphere right now felt so natural that I was sure that whatever was that white light was now gone. Taking a deep confident breath, I slowly opened my eyes to look at where I was now.

I did not understand. How did I come from a black void to the middle of a dark and shadowy forest?

I looked around at what surrounded me. Though there was no light coming from anywhere, I could make out the shape of tall and mighty leafy trees, bushes full of berries, dirty stones and rocks on the grounds and messy dirt paths that led to places unknown. But even though this was obviously a forest, there was not even a single sound of nocturnal animals going about and crickets chirping and owls hooting hauntingly.

And then, I looked down at myself, and was immediately relieved to see my entire body and the hair that fell down to my breasts. I realized then that I was barefoot, but having a supernaturally high tolerance level to pain, the sharpness of the rocks and sticks on the ground felt dull to my soles.

Suddenly, while I continued to staring at my feet, there was suddenly a new sound.

Immediately, I could tell that the sound was a barking of a canine. The barking sounded so loud and approaching and I knew immediately that something was coming to me. I raised my head in the direction of the barking, ready to face whatever it was that was nearing; be it friend or foe.

All of a sudden, a dark figure leaped fast out of the trees and I was immediately pulled into a defense stance, my fists clenched and my psyche blazing with power. But I managed to stop myself from attacking immediately and upon instinct, giving me a chance to look at whatever it was that had appeared.

Standing in front of me on all four legs was a medium-sized dog with a black coat and a tan brown belly and muzzle. Its curious bright brown eyes, which seemed to be the only color in this dark forest, stared up at me curiously with its head tilted. Other than being curious, its body gesture indicated that it seemed at ease with me.

The more I stared at this dog, the more I realized that it was a harehound, one of the most finest and most powerful breed of hunting dogs. Further inspection made me know that it was a male.

It didn't attack me and it looked completely harmless. But then again, I was the Queen of Beasts, so no animal feared me unless I was the Huntress. Feeling rest assured, I easily knelt down to face the creature eye-to-eye and held out my hands as a welcoming gesture and kept my gaze gentle to show that I meant no harm.

The harehound did not hesitate to approach me and promptly sniffed my hair as I gently scratched the back of his head with one hand and rubbed his back with the other. Suddenly, he was nuzzling his snout into my hair and onto my cheeks, making me laugh smile at the hearty gesture.

As I rose to my full height, I asked the harehound gently, "Where did you come from, my dear friend?"

At my question, his floppy ears suddenly rose and his eyes became full of realization. Instantly, he gently bit the hem of my night dress and tugged it in the direction of where he came from.

I became curious then. "What is it, boy?" I asked him. "Do you want to bring me somewhere?"

Suddenly, he let go of my night dress and let out a short but loud bark before it turn and took off in the direction it came from. I stood there confused for a while, before I realized that he intended me to follow him. Immediately, I started running after him.

It didn't take me long to catch up to him. I ran a few steps behind him as he led the way while he expertly jumped over protruding roots and quickly change directions. The forest around me was dark, but I was able to navigate my way easily.

But all of a sudden, the setting changed entirely. Instead of the thick growth of high and strong trees, suddenly there were many smaller trees in front of me. I had nearly wanted to stop in order to look at one of the new trees properly, but I was able to catch sight of a tree full of plums without doing so.

Immediately, a sense of familiarity struck my brain. Where else have I been where it began with a heavy growth of trees before transitioning to an ensemble of various fruit trees?

I knew one, and I was immediately so confident of that answer when I suddenly heard the soft rushing of water in the distance.

At that moment, like many moments before, time seemed to slow down. Everything around me became a blurry haze as I thought to myself that all of this could not be real. It couldn't be real. I had roamed this very same area for five years after the incident and throughout those said five years, absolutely nothing had changed.

But no matter how much my brain told me that this wasn't logical and it could not be real, my heart was being stubborn and was encouraging me of the thought that everything would change at that very moment.

Would it?

Ahead of me, the harehound continued to run with absolute speed. I started to increase my own speed and run faster, partly because I wanted to catch up with him and partly because the possibility that everything changed right now was fueling my excitement, eagerness and anxiety.

At that moment, an entrance came into view and the harehound was suddenly out of my line of sight once it passed through. Seeing the entrance sent my heart on a frenzy and made my legs unconsciously go even faster. Time seemed to pick up pace but though I was getting closer to the entrance with each step, I kept on thinking worriedly that it would disappear in an instant unless I get to it quick.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, I finally ran through that entrance.

In a flash, everything changed. There was another blast of light to signify the transition but it was much shorter than the previous one. All of a sudden, the shadowy darkness of the forest disappeared and everything was now a soft and slightly misty brightness that was not exactly bright but bright enough to give light.

The surroundings around me changed entirely. No longer was I in a forest. Now I was in a clearing that was not too small but not too large and very spacious, and even had a small calm waterfall with a plunge pool below it.

When I saw that waterfall and the ground full of lush green grass, my heart skipped a beat.

But it started racing once again when I saw who was in front of me.

He was kneeling in front of the harehound, his masculine hands rubbing and scratching the creature affectionately as the dog nuzzled his snout into the neck of his master. There was a tilt to the corner of his lips as he looked at the creature with so much pride and affection.

I could hear him murmur under his breath, "Good boy, Sirius."

And then, he lifted his eyes and locked them onto mine.

Teal green met midnight blue.

I stood as still as a statue, staring at him with so much confusion and disbelief in my heart. I did not know what to think at that moment. For a split second, I thought to myself that this must be some sort of hallucination. Surely, he could not be here, standing right in front of me and gazing at me with those beautiful eyes of his? He had passed on five years ago but yet he was here?

And then it finally struck me.

He was here.

He… was… here…

He let go of the harehound, who I realized now was actually Sirius, the hunting dog of his that he had told me so fondly of. Sirius let out another bark that sounded playful and happy before moving off into the forest, disappearing out of sight. None of us went after him. We continued to stare at each other from across the small space between us. None of us made a move either.

But he was the one who spoke first.

"Artemis."

Hearing my name spoken by his voice was like beautiful music to my ears. It felt like I was listening to one of the lullabies that my mother had used to sing to me as a child. It immediately brought back so many good memories and a soft and comforting warmth started enveloping my heart into a loving embrace. At the sound of his voice, the beauty of the clearing started becoming more define. Everything seemed so bright and lively, like I had always remembered it to be.

How long have I been yearning to hear him say my name once again? Five years too long, I remembered.

I wanted to hear it again. I wanted to hear it again so much.

"This must be a dream," I finally began in a murmur as I braved myself to take a step closer. "This must be a dream. Nothing as beautiful as this can exist in real life. Real life is too cruel for such beauty to exist."

I continued to take small steps closer to him, afraid that if I rushed he would disappear. But then, he started to approach me as well, his eyes never once leaving mine.

"If this really is a dream, then I must be the one dreaming," he answered in his soft and gentle voice. "You are still as lovely and beautiful as I had remembered. Maybe even more."

The loveliest of all lovely comments from him, and it had been for me. I felt so touched. I felt so honored I felt so… so… lightened.

We continued to walk closer and closer to each other to the point where our hands could reach for each other. I reached mine out to his first, to which he gave me slowly and without hesitation.

I felt the palms of his hands on my fingertips, and they felt strong, warm and soft but calloused. His own fingers began to feel my hands for a bit before I moved on to feel his forearms that were built with lean but firm muscle. I skimmed up his arms, feeling the shape of his strong muscles. I dragged my hands gently over his broad shoulders and up his neck before I finally cupped his face and made my hands stay there. My thumbs ran along his perfectly sculpted cheekbones before stopping at the side of his face, where I could feel smooth slight scars that he had attained during the middle years of his previous life span.

As I felt him, I continuously thought to myself that this couldn't be real. I was so sure that any second now, he would disappear before my very eyes and I would be left to crumple and cry at the cruelty of it all. But the more I felt of him, the more I became convinced that he was not going to leave.

He was really here.

And I became even more convinced and assured when he gently brought his hands up to my waist, gripping me gently, and then whispered, "Artemis…"

At that moment, I released his hold on his cheeks, threw my arms around his neck, and buried my face into his shoulder. And at that moment, I finally cried. But it was not tears of sadness and grief this time. This time, after a really long time that seemed to feel like eternity, I cried tears of joy.

"Orion…." I whispered through my tears. "Orion…"

Orion responded by wrapping his arms around my waist tightly and endearingly and I could feel that in his embrace he did not wish to let me go. He buried his face in my hair and I began to cherish in the fact that here we were; together.

"Artemis…" he whispered into my hair, sounding much muffled. "Artemis… Artemis…"

I took a short second to take a deep breath before I whispered, "I missed you… I missed you so much… You don't… You don't know…"

A fresh wave of tears took over me and I moved my hands to the back of his head, where my fingers gently gripped his tousled bronze hair. At the same time, one of his hands began to rub my back, trying to soothe me.

"I missed you too…" he whispered to me. "It's alright… I'm here…"

Suddenly, one of his hands left my waist and found its way to grasp my chin and pull my head back slightly so that he could look at me properly. The hand on my chin moved to caress the side of my face, and I leaned into his touch and immediately felt comfort.

As we gazed into each other's eyes, our faces inched closer. And it wasn't long before our lips pressed softly against each other.

The minute I felt his lips on mine, I could feel sudden sparks erupt within me. The sensation was spine-tingling and sent my heartbeat and my pulse to accelerate. I suddenly felt dizzy and the only thing keeping me stable was his arm around my waist. But at the same time, there was a sense of relief and something else – that I can't seem to find the right words to describe – that made the pain that had long ago been implanted in my heart to start to finally go away.

We moved our lips gently against each other, savoring in the moment of this happy reunion. I realized then that in the kiss there was the right amount of love and passion, like all the other kisses we used to have. It was so heart-warming to feel that again. How much I had yearned for it during those years.

Finally but reluctantly, we pulled away to regain our breathing but we did not release each other. My arms went back to being around his neck while his arms were around my waist once again. Our foreheads pressed against each other and I could feel the warmth of his lips just inches from mine. With gentle movements, I moved one of my hands to place my fingers lightly on his soft lips.

As I continued to inhale deep breaths, I whispered, "I've dreamed of you. Most nights, I always dreamed of you. I dreamed of you becoming a god. I dreamed of us getting married. I dreamed of a daughter that we might have and she would have my hair and your eyes."

My words brought a smile to Orion's lips. "I've always wanted a daughter," he whispered back. "And a daughter of mine that would have been borne from you would have been the most loveliest girl my eyes would have ever seen."

Hearing his words sent a jolt of pain to my heart at the knowledge that he sounded so happy to having a daughter despite the fact that we both knew so well that it wasn't true. And it pained me once again at the thought that everything I wished for to happen would never be true. And by not having that, happiness did not seem complete.

"I dreamed that we were happy…" I whispered in a voice that signified held-back tears. "We were so happy…"

Orion did not respond to my words, but instead asked a new one.

"How of you and your brother?"

That question was completely out of the blue and caught me completely off-guard. But just as sudden as the question was, so was the anger and bitterness that had taken up residence in my heart. It flared strong and anew and my mind was suddenly filled up with images of Apollo and his menacing glare and the look of nonchalance when I had done what I completely regret now.

I turned my head away from Orion just as a new wave of tears washed over me. The tears that flowed now were tears of hot anger and it stung my eyes.

"Don't even talk about him…" I hissed under my breath. "And he is no longer my brother… He had betrayed my trust and thus he had lost his rights as a brother and had been denied of the love I once had for him…."

From the corner of my tear-filled eyes, I could see his eyebrows pulled into a concern frown. In a murmur, he replied, "But no matter what, he is still your brother by blood."

Immediately, I got myself out of his embrace and walked away from him, allowing my hair to fall at the sides of my face to block out the image of my heavy tears from his eyes. Looking at the waters in the small pool, I exclaimed in bitter anger, "You don't know what he had done, Orion! You don't what he had done to me! And to you! You don't know what he did to make me lose you forever!"

I could feel the fire in me burning so furiously that it almost felt like it was threatening to burn down my entire soul. I wanted to stop feeling this right now, but I couldn't. Speaking of Apollo and recalling all that he did on that very day would never seem to alleviate the pain in my heart.

I felt his comforting hand place itself on my shoulder while the other hand gently brushed my hair behind my ear. I could feel his warm breath on the side of my face as he whispered into my ear, "I know everything."

Confusion and curiosity took over me then and I slowly turned my head to look at him. The comfort in his eyes was still there though it also held a bit of sadness.

With a deep breath, he spoke once again. "I knew everything when I stood before Lord Hades to receive my sentence. I knew of what Apollo had done and I could already tell the reasons of his actions. I knew what it did to you."

He paused for a short while, but continued shortly after.

"But I am not angry with him."

Shock filled my heart at his statement. "Why?" I demanded to know. "Why would you not be angry at him? Why, Orion? He tricked me into killing you! Just because he didn't like you and he wanted revenge upon me just because I had decided to be with you!"

I turned my body to fully face him, getting his hand off my shoulder in the process. While I stared at him in confusion and disbelief, his expression remained calm and he kept silent as I continued.

"Because of what he did, I've lost you forever! Because of his cruelty, I don't think I can feel love for him anymore! And not only that, but because of my pride and my stupid impulsiveness, I took your life! I am beyond furious with Apollo, but how can _you_ not be angry with him?!"

The tears that streamed down my cheeks left a heated trail on my flesh and I even felt as though I was on fire due to the burning anger within me. To be honest, I did not intend to shout or let my emotions get too out of hand. But hearing Orion speak of how he wasn't angry about what Apollo did made me completely outraged. Orion had every right to be angry at Apollo – and me – but why was he still being so calm?

Orion never took his eyes off me as he closed in the space between us. He kept quiet as he gently wrapped his arms around my frame and held me close to him. I placed my hands on his shoulders and clutched it tightly as I buried my face in his neck and made his skin wet with my tears. I felt his hand ran up and down my back slowly in a comforting gesture. Slowly, I began to relax and took a deep breath to calm myself down and regain composure.

It was silent except for the sounds of the waterfall for only a short while before he started to speak once again.

"Do you want to know why I am not angry with your brother, even though I am somewhat supposed to?"

The mention of Apollo stung me again but I forced myself to remain calm. In replacement of the angry and distraught tone, I asked in a more gentler voice.

"Why?"

"Because I have a strong feeling that he truly regrets his actions."

I kept my face buried in his neck as I let those words sink into me. What did he mean by that? And what's more, how would he actually know?

"Want to know how I know?" he asked, his question making it seem as though he had read my mind.

However, he didn't give me time to answer. Instead, he cupped my chin in his hand again and pulled me back slightly to look straight into my eyes. My tears were slowly fading, but still there. He lifted the hand on my chin and his other hand to my cheeks and softly wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs.

"Your brother loves you with all of his heart, Artemis," he said to me knowingly. "When he acted, he acted within a moment of pent-up rage at the thought of losing you to me, despite the fact that it wasn't true. I will admit that if I was in his position, I would have done the same despite how completely wrong it is."

I frowned slightly. "That still doesn't explain why you're not angry at him," I told him.

For a moment, Orion kept quiet and just continued to look into my eyes. I gazed back, trying hard to find the answer within his teal green orbs. But I could not find it. Instead, I could see his intentions to make me understand about Apollo and the hope he had that I would understand.

"Remember when you had begged him for help?" he suddenly asked quietly.

In a flash, my mind reverted back to that moment on the beach of Crete where I held a wounded and dying Orion in my arms. Apollo had appeared to me with that stone cold expression that he had began to don after I had committed the terrible deed. Despite the then-new anger I felt for him for his deceit, I had begged him to help me.

But most especially, I remembered the change in his eyes when he saw me crying and begging for him. The expression of cold blankness had melted away and had been replaced with a new look of guilt, concern, regret and worry. And I remembered that he had taken a step forward towards me before Thanatos stopped him.

"Yes," I quietly admitted. "Yes, I do."

There was suddenly relief in Orion's expression and it was most probably because he thought I had finally seen what he was trying to get me to understand.

"What has that got to do with anything?" I questioned him.

With a small and gentle smile, he simply answered, "If he truly was so cruel, he wouldn't have decided to attempt to give aid. If he truly was intending to act without mercy, there wouldn't have been that look of guilt and regret in his eyes. And I saw, Artemis. I saw that look when he cast his gaze upon both you and me."

I could not deny the fact that everything Orion said was true. I had indeed remembered that very look in Apollo's eyes as clear as day. I had indeed seen that something in him had changed when I began to beg him, as though he was suddenly fully aware of what he had done and could not believe that he had done it. But it did not end there, I remembered. I remembered when I was in the hallway of the Olympian rooms, Apollo's eyes had maintained the guilt and sadness and it seemed as though those two emotions filled his entire soul. Those two emotions continued to stay in his eyes even as I had attacked him.

But that didn't stop there, five years ago.

Though I avoided him as much as possible, coming to the point where I have deemed him as contempt, I observed him sometimes. I did not want to do so, but I found myself looking at him before I even realized. Each time my eyes fixed upon him, I could see hollowness in him. It didn't matter how he looked on the outside; be it happy, focused, concentrated or understanding. There was emptiness in his sky blue eyes that seemed unnoticeable by the others but was so easy for me to see. It was such a far cry from the bright and active god who radiated and shined.

But every time at the very second he was about to turn his head to meet my eyes, I would look away and act as though I had not been gazing at him. I looked away because I still wanted nothing to do with him. I did not ask him of what was wrong or if I could do anything for him. I had already denied such interactions between us since that very day and I wanted to see him suffer like that.

But yet, although I had deemed him as unworthy of my attentions, the empty look in his eyes would always appear in my mind every once in a while.

I realized suddenly that I was quiet for a while as I was being so deep in thought. Orion was quiet as well, but he looked at me with pure concern. Wanting to alleviate his worry, I took a deep breath, met his eyes, and spoke.

"Even if Apollo truly does regret his actions, what makes you think that I would be able to forgive him for his cruelty? How could I forgive him for betraying my trust which I had bestowed upon him since I was still a young child? How could I forgive him for tricking me into unknowingly killing you, the man who had deserved my love just as much as he did?"

I took another deep breath as I lifted a hand to place it gently on his cheek, caressing his cheekbones with the pads of my fingers.

"And how could I forgive him for giving you a reason to hate me forever, because I was the one who had painstakingly ended your life?" I questioned him in a soft, distraught voice. "How am I supposed to once again love the one I had used to refer to as 'my brother'?"

Orion let out a soft sigh and lifted one of his hands to his cheek to place it above mine. He grasped it gently and brought the palm of my hand to his lips and planted a kiss that was as light as a feather and as soft as a whisper.

All of a sudden, he said knowingly into my palm, "Though you may think that loving Apollo again is impossible, I know that, deep inside, you still do love him."

"How would you know?" I inquired from him in a level voice, though I was straining to not outburst again. "How, Orion?"

At that moment, Orion took a step back and held me at my shoulders at his arms' length apart. He began to look at me from head to toe while I stayed still and watched.

Finally, he said, "One thing for instance; you wear a dress that is the color of his eyes."

In a flash, I looked down at the knee-length nightdress I wore and indeed realized that it was of silk that was the color of sky blue, mirroring the color of Apollo's eyes perfectly. Immediately upon seeing the blue, I thought of Apollo's empty eyes once again. The sudden thought sent a shiver coursing through me.

"That doesn't mean-" I began to argue, but he cut me off.

"And if you really intend the forget him, you would have destroyed anything that would remind you of him. Even if that 'anything' was a simple nightdress that is made of silk that is the same color of his eyes. You would have wanted him out of your mind no matter what. And if you really do think that you can never love Apollo ever again, why is it that I can clearly see yearning in those eyes of yours when you spoke of him just seconds ago?"

Orion gazed at me with a disapproving frown while I became completely still, shocked and silenced. His words struck me at the heart and my mind delved into an array of thoughts. I will admit that he had seemed so very observant, from the way he told me that I had looked so yearning when I spoke of Apollo. But then again, I had remembered Orion to be observant in the past, and it seemed that the trait still lived on in him.

But was what he told me really true? Was I still feeling love for Apollo? At first, I thought of it to be completely impossible. I had scorned him completely from five years ago and had not made contact with him since. That was a strong evidence of the fact that I felt no more love for him. Not even a smidgen of it.

I had thought that it was completely true that I no longer loved Apollo, but hearing Orion's statement sent me into a state of uncertainty. What if what I thought wasn't true at all?

Orion's expression began to soften and he slowly approached me once again.

"I can see that you want to deny that because you do still feel anger for what he had done in the past," he said knowingly. "But I know that deep inside your heart, the love you have for him still lingers. Your love for him is sure to have long been established from the very minute you were conceived alongside him in your mother's womb. It was established even before I came into existence and into your life. A love that had withstood so many years is sure to not be easily destroyed. It can never be easily destroyed. It could be forgotten or it could be pushed aside to the further regions of one's psyche or it could be strained greatly, but never destroyed."

He suddenly took my hands in his and held them gently between us. He held my gaze as he continued on.

"And do not let yourself worry over the fact that I would be angry with you. I am not angry at you because I know you didn't mean to do it on purpose. I will never be angry with you, Artemis, because I am content with the knowledge that you are regretful of your mistaken actions and had continued to love me even after I was gone."

He brought my hands to his lips and kissed both my knuckles softly as he whispered, "I love you, Artemis. I always will. I've promised you my love for all eternity, and I know that I wish to keep this very promise to you. It was the best promise I had ever made, and I was beyond happy to know that you too have kept your promise to bestow upon me your love. However, I do not want to see you unhappy any longer."

Orion took one of his hands to cup my cheek gently. I felt his soothing warmth seeping into my skin, giving me a sense of calm and peace, and a clear head that was devoid of complicated thoughts.

With a deep breath, Orion suddenly told me, "I wish for you to forgive your brother. I do not want you to lose his love just because I am no longer around. I know that you wish for him back and I know that he wishes the same and that he would be willing to do anything to make amends. If you forgive your brother, only then can I achieve full peace. I have long forgiven him for what he had done for time has made me understandable of his actions and that I have learnt to forgive and forget, knowing that keeping the grudge on-going any longer would not help the situation at all. It's about time that you did the same as well. You may not forget about it, however. But you can still forgive."

I shook my head, meaning to be stubborn about this idea, but it actually came out looking uncertain and frightened.

"I… I don't think... I can…." I murmured so unsure.

"Forgive your brother," he advised me with gently yet firmly. "Not only for me but also for yourself. He still loves you, and I know that deep inside, past all the hate and grief that has clouded your heart, that you still love him as well. You may not know, but he needs you now as much as you need him. I do not want you to lose someone who you have long cherished in your heart. For all we know, he could still be cherishing you in his."

I still said nothing because now, I was at a complete loss for words. What he had advised me to do seemed too much. Forgive Apollo? I never even spoken to him and never even made a single indirect or direct contact with him for five years. How was I supposed to forgive him? I know Orion wanted me to because he somehow knew that I still loved Apollo and that forgiving seemed to be the only way to completely alleviate the burden in my heart, but I was not sure that he would know. And to be honest, I didn't seem to know as well. What if forgiving Apollo and giving him another chance wouldn't make things any better?

But before I could further ponder on that thought, Orion let go of my hands and brought me into an embrace once again. He pressed his forehead against mine and pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. I slid my eyes shut at the gesture and began to embrace him as well.

Our embrace felt like it lasted hours and the more time I spent in his arms, the more I wished that he was back by my side once again. How I wished that we were once again spending our time together in the forests of Crete, where we would roam the forests and enjoy the act of hunt, and on the white sandy beaches, where we would sit in front of the sea and admire its beauty as we just enjoyed each other's company. How I yearned for those times again when I felt at peace and that nothing in the world could change that.

But I knew very well that those happy times could never come back. However, I did not think of negativity next this time. This time, I thought of how I could achieve that sense of peace once again, even if it wasn't with Orion. I did not think it was impossible. It was completely possible. It is difficult, but it is possible.

To my surprise, I began to feel a new surge of determination that I can achieve that. Partly, I wanted to achieve it for myself, because I knew that I was capable of feeling complete peace again on my own. I had managed on my own for so long now that I was sure that I could do it again. But on the other hand, I wanted to achieve it for Orion, because he wanted me to be happy and not lose another one who my heart cherished.

"Do you believe that I can do this?" I asked him in a murmur, my eyes still shut.

His response was quick. "I don't only believe it, Artemis. I _know_ you can. You are strong enough to do that. You are the most strong-willed person I know and you are also the bravest. I know that you would be strong and brave enough to do it."

I sighed and held myself closer to him as I whispered, "When you left, I thought I had lost the will to carry on living. I thought that my life could never be the same without you. When you were taken away to the Underworld, I felt as though a part of me had died with you. You didn't know how painful the years had been. You didn't know how lonely I felt after that."

Slowly, I began to open my eyes and saw that his teal green ones were already open and was gazing right into mine, looking at me with so much care and concern. But then, there was a sudden change in his eyes when I started to give him a small smile.

"But now I know for sure that I shouldn't have to be lonely," I finally realized. "You have always been with me, Orion. The good memories you have given me would forever remain in my mind, and that I could remember all those happy moments we had together. The love of yours which you have gifted me would forever remain in my heart, and that I can breathe easy at the thought that you still love me and that I have your love. What's more, I could always see you as the constellation of 'The Hunter'. The stars that had been born out of your body and found place in the night sky would always be there to greet and they would always shine the most brightest, reminding me of your beautiful self."

Orion's eyes became more filled with happiness with each word I spoke. Seeing him so happy sent my heart swelling with emotions of the good kind. Seeing him so happy actually made me smile so happily; something that I hadn't done in a very long time.

Shortly after, that smile became accompanied with a playful smirk, and he said in a cheeky voice, "Speaking of which, thank you for the stars. I'm glad to know that I have managed to make you happy by being of those heavenly diamonds that complement the beauty of your silver moon in the backdrop of the vast night sky."

Seeing the smirk and hearing his playful voice suddenly reminded me of the Orion who was always jolly around me and never seemed upset so often. His jolliness, I recalled, had never failed to put a smile on my face. And now, at this moment, I was smiling, because I knew for sure that the jolly side of him still lived on.

"That way, I can still see you every time," I told him in quiet happiness. "You never fail to appear each night."

His smirk turned into a soft and loving smile and he proclaimed in a quiet voice, "And I will never do such a thing. Trust me."

Hearing those two words suddenly made me recall of the time I had my first fight with Orion when I had just taken him as an apprentice hunter and also of the time where he had set up that picnic on Leon and had requested that I allowed him to carry me across the ocean. Those two events had centered on his permission for my trust and proclaiming that he would not soil it. And surprisingly but thankfully, he stayed true to his words and did not take advantage of my trust. Thus, because of that, I trusted him once again at this very moment, knowing that he was saying no wrong.

As I pondered on that thought, I began to realize that it wasn't all.

Orion had also kept his promise to never hurt me physically or mentally. He had kept me feeling cared for and protected. He had offered me a haven within his arms. When he had given me his love, it was like a breath of fresh air and a new ray of warm sunlight to me.

And with the thought that he had kept his promise to me no matter what, I began to kiss him.

He was taken aback for a split second at the sudden touch of lips, but he responded quickly. Like our very first kiss back in the clearing at night, it was soft and gentle and loving and passionate. It was one the most blissful sensations I have ever experienced in my long life. I began to feel alive and everything around me seemed so ethereal. In short, the whole moment was beautiful beyond words.

But I knew that this kiss was special. This kiss would officially seal the love we felt for each other. In this very kiss would lay good memories and good intentions. In this very kiss, there was nothing but intimacy, passion and commitment; the three components of the perfect pure love. In this kiss lay something that from the very beginning had been a new experience for me.

And that experience was me falling in love for the first and only time with the perfect man.

We separated slowly, still keeping our foreheads pressed against each other's and feeling our breaths on each other's faces. I shut my eyes in order to concentrate on the beat of my heart as I began to feel him with my hands; feel his silky soft bronze hair, his strong shoulders, his lean and muscular arms and his face. He began to feel me with his hands too; my long hair, my sides, my arms and my face.

Interlaced with his soft breathing, he whispered, "I have found acceptance in a woman who I knew I could never be her equal and yet she treats me as one. I have found joy in a woman who shares my love for the hunt and the beauty of the forests. I have found friendship in a woman who calls me her friend. I have found peace in a woman who always manages to soothe me in my darkest hours. I have found love in a woman that could be none other than you."

Orion pressed his lips to mine for a short second before pulling away and whispering lovingly, "I love you, Artemis. I love you forever. Never forget that. Never doubt my words. I love you."

With a smile, I whispered back with all the love I had for him in my heart, "And I love you as well, Orion. I love you forever."

And finally, I opened my eyes.

Only to meet the white marble ceiling of my room.

I remained motionless for a while, just blankly gazing up at the ceiling as I allowed all that had happened to set into me. It was then I realized that what I thought from the beginning was true.

It was a dream.

But then again, I did not think it was. As I slowly sat up and looked around my dark room that was only illuminated by pale streaks of moonlight that were coming in through the windows, I brought a finger to my lips and touched them gently. Immediately, I could feel a tingling sensation; a common effect for me after I had kissed Orion.

It couldn't be a dream. It was too beautiful to be a dream.

Suddenly, a thought came into mind and I turned around, stood up on the bed and perched myself on my large window sill. Sitting cross-legged, I looked out at the starry night sky.

Orion's constellation was still there, being the first thing that I saw when I looked out the window. But for some reason, the stars that made up his shape were twinkling more brightly than usual.

I knew then that it could not be coincidence.

And I remembered then that Orion had fulfilled another promise to me.

He had promised to never fail to show up in the night sky, and he had kept that promise.

Tears streamed down my cheeks slowly then. But this time, they were tears of happiness.

* * *

Author's Note:

Officially _**THE **LONGEST_ chapter in the entirety of _Promises_! Seriously! This took me since last Thursday to write and I had only finished it just an hour ago! But no matter!

Honestly, this chapter got me touched beyond words. I cried at some parts and I felt happy at others. I just hope that some of you would find this chapter to your liking. It really took a LOT of work :P

Anyway, I am announcing that this very chapter is _the _second-last chapter before the epilogue! I plan to publish both the last chapter and the epilogue on the same day. Meaning that _Promises_ will come to an end on _Friday_! AAAHHH! Too many author feels!

I would like to write a longer author's note, but I'll save that for Friday! See you!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	38. Chapter 37

**_A Change For The Better_**

In the dark silence of the night within the palace walls, wisps of enchanting and sparkly cerulean blue sand flew with ghostly grace towards the golden main doors of the palace. There, its owner waited for them patiently.

Feeling the aura of his own magic nearing him, Morpheus held out his hand and watched quietly as the sand gathered by itself on his palm. When the entire amount finally came to rest, the God of Dreams began to gaze at it in concentration as he felt the soft silkiness of the dream crystals and admired the beautiful shimmer it radiated in the pale light of the moon.

The crystals looked bright and lively, sparkling with so much beauty. Seeing that already made Morpheus knew that everything that was planned had turned out well.

"Thank Mount Olympus…." he murmured in relief under his breath.

Now with the knowledge that what was hoped was successfully achieved, Morpheus then placed his other hand atop the one with the handful of his sand and focused his energy on it. In no more than a few seconds later, the sand seeped out through the small gaps in his enclosed hands and found its own way back to the pouch that was hidden in the sash of his peplos. When he unravelled his hands once he felt no trace of sand left on his skin, the translucent white butterfly that was Orion's soul rested quietly on his palm.

Now, Morpheus was to wait for his uncle Thanatos, who was to appear to bring back Orion's butterfly to its rightful place in the Asphodel Plains, down below in the Underworld.

But he did not wait long until a voice finally spoke.

"How did it go?"

Morpheus' violet-blue eyes widened at the familiarity of the voice that meant pure power and authority and felt his heart race slightly. He had expected only his uncle to come; _not _the God-King of the Underworld himself.

But without wasting a second, Morpheus gathered his courage to turn around to meet Hades, who was standing on courtyard just in front of the steps. Morpheus walked down the steps to be on the same ground level as the King and bowed in respect. When he rose to full height once again, he could not tear his gaze away from the fathomless blackness of Hades' eyes.

"It went well, Lord Hades," he replied in a level voice. "The Sands of Dreams had come back to me bringing good news. It seems now that Lady Artemis may experience a new change for the better."

At hearing the news, relief could be seen in Hades' pitch black eyes, even while he simply nodded his head.

"Indeed, that is good news," Hades said in a neutral voice. "But let us hope now that Artemis would finally find the road of recovery to a better life and stay on its path for the long years to come, shall we?"

Without hesitance, Morpheus nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, Lord Hades."

And then, Hades extended an open hand out expectantly. Before Morpheus could even ask about what he was doing, he replied, "Thanatos has other matters to attend to. And seeing that it was I who had let Orion's soul out of the Underworld, I can only see it fit that I be the one who brings him back to the Asphodel Plains."

Knowing that what the King said was absolutely true and more than reasonable, Morpheus found no reason to not comply. Besides, who was he to deny the great Hades unless he really wanted to have a bad time? Instantly, he too began to extend the hand that held the butterfly towards Hades and waited for it to do what it has to do. Immediately, the butterfly flew away from his palm and landed in a soft flutter onto Hades' open hand.

When the butterfly was finally in his possession, Hades retracted his hand as he gazed at the butterfly. Then he turned to Morpheus and said in a solemn yet somewhat grateful voice, "I thank you for your assistance, Morpheus. Without your power of dreams, this all may not have been possible."

Feeling a sense of pride that he had received a word of thanks from the great God-King of the Underworld, Morpheus bowed his head graciously. "I am just glad to be of help, Lord Hades," he said.

With a final bow of his head, Hades finally advised Morpheus to return to his chambers and also reminded him to not utter even a single word of this event to anyone except Hermes, the only other who knew. Morpheus could sense the hidden threat of consequences if he disobeyed and immediately agreed to keep mum and not even say anything. With a final bow to the King, Morpheus turned around and returned back to the palace, leaving Hades to stand on his own in the courtyard.

But Hades did not teleport himself back to his abode immediately after that. Instead, he walked over to where the golden gates of Mount Olympus stood, standing near the edge of the great mountain's peak and looking out at the night sky.

He never did get many chances to come up to the above world at night due to his bind to the Underworld, so he always appreciated and cherished the moment where he could see the stars that graced the dark and beautiful night sky. Being a supposed deity of darkness, Hades knew of how some mortals and even some deities associated the darkness of night with evil. But how wrong they were. If they had just taken the time and effort to admire the beauty that the night beheld, then only can they know that it wasn't really evil at all.

As he continued to gaze at the night sky and feel the ethereal presence of Orion's soul butterfly on his hand, he began to remember that the night was partly Artemis' doing. If it wasn't for the silver moon of which she was the goddess of, there wouldn't be light in the night that would be enough to illuminate the world slightly and yet also have an enough amount of darkness to allow every living being on earth to sleep with more ease. And if it wasn't for the radiating pale light of the moon, the infinite amount of shining stars in the sky would not be able to be seen so much.

For the beauty that she helped to bring forth into the world and for her strength and resilience despite the harsh obstacles she had to face, Hades saw fit that Artemis deserved something.

But suddenly, he was suddenly distracted by a soft glowing light that came from his own hand. He looked down and saw something amazing taking place.

In his hand, the translucent butterfly still rested calmly on his palm with its wings fluttering ever so slightly. However, the butterfly was starting to go through a change. The soft white glow that radiated as its aura was suddenly turning brighter and its translucency was changing into a more solidified image.

Hades could not believe his eyes. Never before had he seen such a change. He had ruled the Underworld for over several hundred years and the occurrence of a soul going through change was extremely rare to practically unheard of.

But at this very moment, he was proven wrong. And what's more, Orion had managed to amaze him once again by turning from a ghostly white soul butterfly of the Asphodel Plains into a beautiful gold one that belonged in the blissful Elysian Fields.

At that moment, Hades came upon the realization that Orion truly was a man of good will and heart. Many of those characteristics were hard to find, especially as souls who are to pass on to the afterlife. Some are the probability of being one, but it would have been hidden too deep in the core of their very psyche, never to be unleashed.

But Orion did just that, and Hades decided that such a soul was too precious to be in his kingdom when his body was forever implanted into the night sky as the stars that made up his very own constellation.

Hades brought the butterfly closer to his face, gazing at how bright it was in its new golden form. The change it had went through just seconds ago had left a deep awed and amazed impression on Hades that he still sounded so taken aback when he whispered to it, "For bringing happiness and implanting hope into the heart of my niece, I shall allow you freedom in the stars."

And just like that, Hades extended his hand out and watched as the butterfly took off from his palm and began to flutter towards its constellation.

He remained silent as he watched the golden butterfly that shined like a golden star in the night slowly disappear when it had found its place on the heart of its constellation. But the minute it vanished out of sight, the stars that made up 'Orion the Hunter' suddenly shone and twinkled even more that Hades could almost feel the luminous light shining upon his face.

The sight and the feeling from seeing it were so beautiful that Hades couldn't help but smile.

He gazed at the newly bright constellation for a little while more before he finally conjured up his powers to bring himself back to the Underworld and disappeared from sight as silently as when he first came.

* * *

Sleep did not come to him that night, no matter how hard he tried. Apollo spent fruitless hours tossing and turning in his bed, waiting for the moment where Hypnos would grant him sleep, but it had not come.

Very soon, he gave up trying to fall into slumber and saw no choice but to remain awake. But being in his room was making him feel slightly tense and he hated how suffocating the tenseness was. Not wanting to spend his time in his room, Apollo decided to venture out into mortal world and maybe roam around to just clear his head. After slipping out of bed and putting on a sleeveless tunic to wear with the wrap of dark blue cloth around his waist that was what he wore to bed, he conjured his powers and teleported himself to wherever he would appear.

When Apollo opened his eyes, he found himself in a clearing that was surrounded by a heavy barricade of tall and mighty trees. In the middle of the clearing, he could see, by what he could make out in the moonlight, a large patch of dirt and it was the only part of this huge clearing that was visibly disturbed.

When realization finally dawned upon him, he felt his heart sank, but could not muster up enough courage to immediately leave the very same clearing where he had summoned Gaia and where she had sent him Scorpius to act upon his lies.

Slowly, he began to walk towards the patch of dirt, remembering very well that it was the very same spot where Scorpius was unleashed from that vine cocoon of his. Being barefoot, he could feel the soft sharpness of the grass and small pebbles on his soles. Where cloth did not cover his skin, he could feel the soft and cooling night breeze kissing his flesh and his hair billowing slightly in the wind.

Above him, the night was decorated with multitudes of shining stars and the sole silver moon. Apollo tilted his head upwards to gaze at the beautiful night, but once again, his eyes unconsciously started to search for Orion.

He found him instantly, but began to realize that the stars in his constellation seemed so much brighter now than how he saw they were just a few hours ago. The stars twinkled with so much energy now, as though they had just received new life like a fresh breath of air. They certainly stood out from the other stars in the sky, making his constellation very easy to be noticed.

Seeing how bright and active the constellation was made the sinking feeling in his heart feel worse.

"How is it like up there?" Apollo suddenly asked towards the heavens. "Being among beauty as you watch all that happens on the mortal lands at night? Does it feel nice?"

There was no reply, but of course he wouldn't have expected one. But he continued on.

"It must be nice to be so far away from the problems here," Apollo said in deep thought. "Up among the beautiful stars of the beautiful night sky, pain does not seem to touch you from there. You look so at peace, I've noticed."

He kept quiet for a while and watched the constellation's stars twinkle even more. He wanted to think of that as some sort of answer from the demigod himself, but knew that though it was his body that made up the stars, his soul was not there.

"I wish I could experience the same peace as you do," Apollo murmured wistfully. "Right now, and for the past five years, I have felt nothing but pain. I thought that time would dull it away and make it disappear, but I was wrong. It still continues to strike viciously at my heart and I cannot do anything but suffer. How I wish I could alleviate my suffering somehow, but I know that I cannot. I know that I must suffer the consequences of my cruel actions that had torn you away from my sister."

At the very thought of Artemis, his heart started to throb painfully in his chest for the umpteenth time. Instantly, he began to feel his very soul being engulfed in pain and grief.

"My sister continues to refuse to speak to me. She refuses to be within distance with me. She refuses to look at me in the eye. Last time, I had been so foolish to think that she would only scorn me for a short while, but I now know that our separation may be certain and permanent. There is nothing I can possibly do to make amends for what I had done to both you and her, because I know that all she wants is to have you back by her side. How I wish I could do that just so she could find it in her heart to forgive me. How I wish I could reverse time and stop myself from committing such a heinous deed and just find the will to accept you. That way, I could still be with her."

All of a sudden, while he kept his eyes fixed upon Orion, Apollo fell to his knees, unable to hold himself up any longer with the burdening weight of pain and guilt in his heart. Tears began to pool in his eyes, clouding his vision of Orion. When he blinked, few escaped and streamed down his cheeks, but he did not lift his hands to wipe them away.

He felt his throat tighten and found difficulty in breathing. He inhaled lungfuls of fresh night air through his nostrils to keep himself replenished, but found himself getting breathless easily with the continuing tears and crying.

In a sad and heavy voice, he cried, "I am willing to bear with the painful consequences of what I had to my sister and to you…. But I do not know how much longer I can do that…. With each passing day that my sister refuses to acknowledge me…. and treat me as though I am nothing to her, I feel the cracks in my heart become worse and…. I do not know how long it will take until it shatters completely…."

With another shaking breath as he inhaled and exhaled, he continued on. "You did not know how much it had pained me immensely when she had proclaimed that I was no longer a brother to her…. The words that were spoken from her lips were the most painful words I have ever heard…. At that point, I wondered why I deserved such cruelty, only to quickly realize that it was my own cruelty that had ended your life and broke the heart of my sister…."

Apollo could feel his entire kneeling form trembling and shaking from his crying and finally hung his head down in shame. He shut his eyes to try to keep in the tears that was building up inside and could feel his eyes burning from the heat. He leaned his torso forward to plant the palm of his hands on the dirt in front of him and heaved heavily to try and breathe properly.

Slowly, he lifted his head up a bit to look at Orion once again. He could see that the stars were still twinkling brightly and actively, as though that indeed the soul of the man who became the constellation was really there, trying to give some sort of response. Whatever that response was, Apollo wanted to hear it so much.

But knowing that he couldn't, he decided instead to finally get everything out of his chest, hoping that the giant demigod himself would somehow hear it.

"I am so sorry…" he whispered painfully through a tear-choked voice. "I am so sorry… I was foolish to have let my jealousy of you get the better of me… I was wrong… You were not full of vile intentions towards my sister… I know now that indeed you loved her as much as she loved you… I was stupid to have not realized that from the beginning… So very stupid…"

He felt the burden of his heart pulling him down and he hung his head once again, shutting his eyes to torment himself with the stinging burning sensation. He needed it. He needed pain to punish himself further. Even the most smallest of pains counted. He'd like to think of it that with every pain he experienced, it would be enough to finally satisfy his sister.

"I'm so sorry…" he continued to cry quietly. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Pain and grief was the two strongest emotions I felt.

We were twins and have been very close from the beginning. To signify our closeness, there was a sort of invisible bond that held me and Apollo together. This bond, when triggered, allowed both of us to feel each other's feelings and also alert one of us whenever the other was in danger or in distress.

The bond had been strong from before. But after what had happened, it seemed to be slowly diminishing. It was dying because I had chosen to annul to the bond between us from that time. Due to the anger I felt towards Apollo and the fact that I didn't want to refer to him as my twin and my brother and simply wanted to forget everything about him, cracks started to tarnish the spiritual bond, threatening to completely shatter at any moment.

However, the bond, despite how weak it slowly became, was still there, trying hard to hold me to Apollo. I could feel it pulling at me at times but I restrained and scorned it, not caring that it was still going on because he refused to forget me and he did not want to give me up.

Five years passed and I could practically feel the deep cracks that had tarnished the bond. But nonetheless, it still tried to bring me to him, solely because of him.

But finally, after so many years of strain, the bond was beginning to repair itself. I could feel it growing stronger and stronger with each passing minute, due to the fact that I was finally willingly thinking about Apollo. Slowly, as the cracks on the bond started to slowly fade, I could really feel him. The feeling of him was so strong that it was as though I never decided to break the bond in the first place.

But the impact from the first feel was huge, because I could feel the pain, grief and sadness that ached in his heart. It had been so long since I had interacted with him that I could not remember a time where he had been in so much distress such as now. The pain, grief and sadness practically had taken over his entire heart; those were all he could feel, and all I could feel of him.

Finally allowing myself to feel concern for him, I decided to make my way to him and see what was going on. I found myself in Crete, slightly cringing at the memories I've had on this island, and found him in a clearing deep within a forest, thankfully far away from the coasts.

I stood at the edge of the clearing, hidden in the trees and silently watching.

I couldn't see him at first when I first got here, completely stealthy and silent and still wearing only my sky blue nightdress and walking barefoot. But thanks to the bright light of my moon, my eyes caught sight of him kneeling, with his back to me, just right at the centre of the clearing on a large patch of dirt, and his whole body shaking and trembling.

I didn't know why his body jerking with such movements at first. But when I heard the familiar sounds of sobbing in the still night air, I realized then that he was crying.

But I did not make a move immediately, intending to listen and watch.

And I listened to many words and watched many things.

I had been standing there like a looming ghost for quite some time, and I had heard everything that he had said to the stars; every word that was uttered from his lips, I could hear crystal clear.

But still, I hesitated coming closer.

Heavy decisions ran through my mind. Part of me wanted to hold on to the anger that burned in my heart for him. I still wanted to hate him for tricking me into killing my one true love. I wanted to scorn him completely and never refer to him as my twin brother again. Such a crime deserved such a punishment. And such a mistake was one of those most difficult to accept apologies and allow forgiveness.

But before I could decide to let things continue as they are now and turn and walk away from the scene unnoticed, Orion's voice suddenly appeared in my thoughts, speaking to me the words he spoke in my dreams just a while ago; the words I considered were his wishes for me before he truly moved on.

_Forgive your brother. Not only for me but also for yourself. He still loves you, and I know that deep inside, past all the hate and grief that has clouded your heart, that you still love him as well. You may not know, but he needs you now as much as you need him. I do not want you to lose someone who you have long cherished in your heart. For all we know, he could still be cherishing you in his._

And with those words in mind, I took a deep breath, calmed my heart, turned around and stepped out of hiding, walking quietly towards the crying god.

My footsteps on the grass were so very soft that it was completely silent. I thanked Mount Olympus for that, because I didn't want to see his sad eyes right now and I needed to think about what to say to him. I had to consider my words, since this would be the very first time in five years that I would speak a word to him.

The closer I got to him, the better I could hear Apollo's cries. It was such a pitiful sound and would make anyone feel sorry for him. But it wasn't until I stood directly behind him that my heart started to slowly break, because it was then I discovered he was also crying my name.

"Artemis..." I heard him whisper in a heavy voice choked with tears. "Artemis…"

At that precise moment, I could take it no longer.

Hearing my name spoken sadly through his lips was what caused me to reach out a hand and grasp his shoulder with no hesitation. It wasn't until my hand had been fully planted on his shoulder that I realized that this was the first time I made physical contact with him in a long time.

All of a sudden, his crying halted and his head shot up. I could almost feel his breathing, which had been heavy and hectic, turning slow and the racing of his heart as he slowly turned his head behind.

The first things I saw were his eyes that were red and full of tears. Then I noticed his cheeks that were completely stained with the trails of his tears and his lips that were quivering like how his body had been trembling. But then I focused my gaze on his eyes once again, as they were now widening at the sight of me.

Apollo suddenly shifted on his knees to turn around and face me completely, making my hand let go of his shoulder then. When he finally faced me, with his eyes still holding onto mine, he remained kneeling while I continued to stand.

"Artemis?" he whispered in a voice that sounded as though he could not believe that I was standing just right in front of him.

Hearing his voice made my heart go into a frenzy. It had been too long since I had heard his voice so directly. The only other times was only hearing faint traces of it when he was conversing with someone else and I could hear his voice within earshot before I finally moved to make the distance between us further.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I replied softly, "Apollo."

I will admit I was kind of surprised at hearing my own voice holding no resentment or venom as it had the very last time I had spoken to him, though it actually counted more as shouting and screaming. It was as though I was merely whispering to him in the dead of night so that we wouldn't wake anyone up.

We didn't speak for a few seconds after that. We merely stayed there – him standing and me kneeling – and just looked at each other.

But suddenly, after a while, Apollo did something that he had never done to me before.

He grabbed both my hands urgently yet gently and held them together in his, with his thumbs feeling my knuckles. Then, he brought them to his forehead, and a new wave of tears washed over him and he started crying once again.

"Artemis… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I was a fool… A stupid, jealous fool… I'm so sorry…You didn't deserve that… You didn't deserve any of the pain…" he sobbed uncontrollably. He paused for a short while to plant a kiss on my hands, and then cried softly in a chant, "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…"

I had wanted to remain strong and be able to do this well. But hearing his many cries of how sorry he was completely shattered my strength and willpower. Slowly, I got down on my own knees so that my face would level with his.

Apollo looked up from my hands at me, his eyes now completely teary once again. It took on a look of desperation when I easily wriggled my hands out of his. I knew that he was worried that it was a sign that things were not going to end up well.

But then, I heard his breath hitch when I had slowly and gently wrapped my arms around his neck.

With my face buried in his shoulder, I whispered in a voice loud enough for him to hear, "I forgive you."

I realized only now that he didn't actually beg for my forgiveness and I suspected that it was because he thought I was already too angry at him to ever forgive him and that he was unworthy of it. But I gave him my forgiveness not because he deserved it, but because I wanted to.

It was then I realized that Orion was absolutely right. In truth, I still loved Apollo dearly. And now, I finally realized the truth that I wanted him to be my brother again. All I needed was time for it to be unleashed from my shadowed pained heart so that I could realize it.

Suddenly, Apollo's own arms wrapped around me and he started crying once again. As I felt the shaking and trembling of his body against mine, I began to feel tears welling up in my eyes slowly streaming down my cheeks. In a voice that threatened to break because of tears, I cried softly, "Just please promise me that you'll never do such a thing to me again…. Please promise…"

I felt his arms tighten slightly, but still holding me gently. In a heavy voice, he whispered back, "I promise, Artemis… I promise… I promise…"

Somehow, I had a feeling that this time, Apollo would really stay true and keep his promise.

Last time, I cried because I was heartbroken of Orion's death. Now, I cried because I was happy that I got the old Apollo back.

We stayed that way for a while, just crying, saying nothing and clutching to each other tightly. Apollo buried his face in my hair while I pressed my cheek to the crook of his neck, my eyes shut with tears burning them. I could feel his tears wetting my hair, but I didn't mind. I just continued to hold him, making up for all those times that I had scorned him and distanced myself from him. How I have missed his touch. How I have missed his embrace that, even now, still made me feel like I was being cared, protected, cherished and loved.

While I was still holding him, I heard him whisper softly and affectionately, "I love you, sister."

How long have I not heard those words from him? It was as though I had heard a tune that I remembered from a long, long time ago. It brought back memories of our happy times and the closeness between us. It was so good to remember those sweet memories again. It only made the tears in my eyes fall even more.

"I love you too, brother," I replied without much thought in a soft whisper.

Right there right now, it was the moment where Apollo and I finally reunited.


	39. Epilogue

_**Promises**_

_**Two years later…**_

"Artemis! Wait for me!"

As I continued to jog away from the house, I called out, "Hurry up, Apollo! The night is too beautiful to not go for a run through the forests!"

From behind me, my mother called out, "Stay safe, you two! Come back soon!"

"We will!" the both of us replied at the same time right before I finally took off into the depths of the forests.

Apollo and I were visiting my mother at Delos that night. She had already taken up a permanent residence a few years back in her home that I and Apollo had lived when we were children. She would occasionally come back to Mount Olympus a few times each month to visit the both of us, while we in return would visit her as well. Some nights, we would even spend a night or a few with her, and tonight was such a night.

When Apollo and I were not with our mother at home – where we would sing, dance, play instruments, tell each other stories and tales or just simply chat with each other – we were out and about in the forests of our birthplace. There, we would run together, hunt together, sing together, dance together and play together. In short, we would just _be _together.

The leaves in the trees were not so thick and heavy, therefore allowing plenty of moonlight to light up the forests deep inside. I could see everything clearly and thus was able to navigate my way through the forests. Behind me, I could hear Apollo still running a few feet behind.

"Think this as a race, sister?" he chuckled in amusement. "Wait until I catch up with you!"

I whipped my head around to face him, still in mid-run, and replied with a joking smile and in a challenging voice, "We'll see about that! Catch me if you can!"

Immediately, I picked up my pace and ran as fast as Hermes flew in his winged sandals. As I darted further ahead into the forest, I could hear Apollo calling out my name in a laugh.

The forests the enveloped me in its beautiful darkness played soft songs of nocturnal creatures being active all around and nearby streams that had its bodies of waters trickling and travelling softly in whatever direction they were made to go. In some parts where I can see, dots of glowing bright light floated aimlessly, meaning that it was the fireflies that had awaken from their slumber and were ready to play for the night.

How peaceful and beautiful it was to be out in the wildlands at this time. With the melody of nocturnal animals, my fast-paced footsteps can be heard clearly, interlaced with the sounds pebbles ricocheting to further distance as I kicked them and crispy leaves crunching loudly and satisfyingly under the soles of my shoes.

Seconds later, I could no longer hear Apollo behind me. I did not worry too much; I could find him later. Right now, I wanted to enjoy the feeling of peace.

I had been running without a thought for so long that I did not realize that I was out of the forest areas and running onto the edge of a cliff until I was only a few feet away from the edge. Luckily, my alertness acted in an instant and my brain immediately commanded my feet to stop in its tracks, preventing me from even taking a step closer to the edge.

I felt and heard myself gasp at the sudden halting of movement and I breathed in relief that I was able to prevent myself from running off the edge and into the forests below. Though I was sure that I won't be so injured if I did fall, I did not want to come home and make both Mother and Apollo worried.

I breathed calmly to try to regain my bearings and allowed my eyes to wander. From where I stood on the cliff, I had a very good view of the sea of trees below, the tall mountains and hills that stood as the majestic giants of the wildlands, the settlements at many different places in the distance and a good image of the night sky.

All of a sudden, my eyes wandered upwards towards the starry midnight blue sky, and I saw him instantly.

Next to my silver moon, against the dark blue backdrop of the vast night sky, was Orion. The stars of his constellation were twinkling brightly like shining heavenly diamonds, as they always were. Once again, it was his constellation that was the most noticeable, being the one that was easily seen despite the other multitude of stars that was adorned in the night sky.

Seeing his constellation made me smile. Even to this day, I would continue to find him in the stars, knowing that he always there for me, no matter what. But now, I do not cry anymore. I have stopped crying two years ago, when I had finally learnt to go of my yearning for him and my hatred for Apollo. And it was all thanks to his visit in my dreams, because it was at that moment where he had helped me find the will to have strength and carry on with life.

Ever since my last encounter with him in my dreams, I began to notice that his stars had turned far more brighter than they were from the beginning. For some reason, I began to feel that he was really there among the stars, continuing to look out for me and listen to me. Every night, I could see his stars twinkling so actively that I had begun to think that he was trying to tell me something. I have never seen stars shine so brightly before. I was so amazed. But not as amazed by how I could feel Orion watching me from above with a smile on his face.

I smiled at Orion's stars, knowing very well that he could see me. Yes, I will admit that I still did miss him very much and that the thought of all that had happened sometimes managed to leave me feeling bitter, but I would stop myself from falling into negativity by reassuring myself that Orion would forever be with me; in my heart and in the stars.

The feeling of a warm hand encasing over mine gently made me look away from the stars for a moment to Apollo, who now stood beside me. He silently looked at me in the eyes and I knew that he knew what I was thinking about, and that he was thinking the same.

I knew very well that Apollo still felt guilty and regretful about what he had done, and he had already made it known that he would do anything for me so that he could make amends. But though anger was still there in my heart for him, I had already given him my forgiveness and my love once again. If he really did wanted to make amends, then he could do that by being my twin brother and best friend again, and also learning to keep the promises he made to me just as how I would keep the promises I made to him. I was very sure that he would do that, and that's why I finally allowed my anger for him to dissipate and feel love and affection for him again.

Now that we were finally reunited again and bonded as strongly as ever, life has been easier now, even for me.

I looked away from Apollo and back to Orion, and I could feel my fingers twining with my brother's. He responded quickly, gently gripping my hand firmly. We stood there side-by-side, admiring Orion in the stars.

Orion always looked so beautiful. I still remembered his beautiful looks and personality very clearly, and I could find the same type of beauty in his form of stars. Even until now, from high above in the heavens full of shining diamonds and where ill-feel can never reach, he still managed to make me feel loved and cared for, and I appreciated and loved him even more for that. Even until now, I loved him with all of my heart.

I felt my heart becoming light for a while and I slowly slid my eyes shut. In my thoughts, I began to talk to Orion mentally, wanting him to know the words I had for him.

_Thank you, Orion… Thank you for loving me and giving me all those happy memories to cherish… Truly, I have never met anyone as beautiful as you, and I am glad that I did… You will forever be remembered in my thoughts, cherished in my soul, and loved in my immortal heart… I love you, Orion. And I will remember you forever…. I promise…_

When I reopened my eyes to see Orion's constellation that had the stars that always twinkled brightly, I smiled.

I turned to Apollo then and shared with him my smile, wanting him to be part of this. Seeing my smile suddenly triggered his own. Though his smile was small, it was there. We both squeezed each other's hands at the same time, telling each other through this contact that we would never let go of each other and that we would always be together no matter what.

With both of us smiling, we took one last look at the constellation in the night sky together before finally walking away.

But I couldn't help but look at Orion again over my shoulder and giving him the smile I always had and always will have for him. A smile that would signify the eternal love I will forever hold for him.

My eternal love was, of course, only one of many of my promises to him.

* * *

_Fin_

* * *

Final Author's Note:

Finally, after five months of writing, I am finally coming to the end of my Artemis & Orion fanfiction, _Promises_. This has got to be one of my best works so far, also considering the fact that Artemis and Orion are my most favorite Greek myth couple next to Hades and Persephone.

I really have to say that I like how I managed to portray Artemis as a different sort of person than what she's usually described to be. Though some complain that I made her too _girly_, I just have to say that I think it's better than making her so _manly_. Besides, she's a goddess, after all. She has to have some grace and elegance as a woman, am I right?

Orion…. What can I say about him? One of the best characters I've had the honor of writing about. He has flaws, yes. But in the end, who doesn't have flaws? It's his flaws that made him who he is and, ultimately, made him absolutely perfect.

One of the reasons I started writing Promises was because of the _lack_ of stories centering around them. Most that actually do center around the couple are usually one-shots that only talk of a certain scene or, more commonly, about Artemis and Apollo after the main events of the actual myth. They are good, yes, but I craved more. I wanted to know what type of relationship Artemis and Orion had. I want to know how they met, what they did together and what exactly did they feel for each other. And then, I wanted to know Apollo's point-of-view towards the whole situation. In summary, all we know was that he was jealous of Orion. But to exactly what extent of jealousy? And how exactly was he acting like when he was jealous? And, most importantly, how would Artemis take the news of her brother tricking her?

But because I could not find the answers, I've decided to make the story that would be similar to the actual myth but yet be the story that was perfect for me and that also could be well-loved by all of you, my lovely readers.

So, Artemis and Orion's story finally comes to a close. Though I am saddened and heavy-hearted that this wonderful story must finally end although I feel that I wished to continue it, I will admit that I am glad and satisfied that it ended with a happy ending.

So, I will use this moment to say that this is NOT the end of Artemis fanfictions. I actually have another one next on my list, and maybe many more after that. But it would come out maybe in about a month or two, because the next thing on my list is another Hades & Persephone fanfiction, which will be released Monday. Maybe after my next Artemis fanfiction, I'll publish the story of Apollo and Daphne. And then after that, I plan to write stories on the other gods, with maybe Hermes being the top candidate...

Before I leave, I would just like to thank all of you. Thanks to you, my lovely readers, _Promises _is the most reviewed and most favorited Artemis fanfiction on this website. I feel so honored that many liked it, considering the fact that Artemis fanfictions aren't really so famous here. So, thank you! And I love you :)

'Til our next adventure with Artemis!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


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